Thieves and Beggars
by BlackStar42Roses
Summary: In the time where pirates roamed the sea and the East India Trading Company fought to exterminate them, a charming yet dangerous pirate lord and a cursed nobleman are thrown together on the adventure of their lives. Based on Pirates of the Caribbean.
1. Chapter 1

Thieves and Beggars

Chapter 1

8018

Lately I've been writing a lot of 8018. Actually, _all_ I've been writing is 8018. I must find a way to turn that around before I end up in a rut, haha. Therefore, in this story, I am doing my best to create as many different pairings as possible so I can expand my style a little more :3 On that note, welcome to Chapter One of _Thieves and Beggars_! If you don't know already, it's based on _Pirates of the Caribbean_. It's not centered on a specific movie of the trilogy, but I'll be throwing in a few scenes here and there from all three of the movies. Which, by the way, are all **EPIC**. And so, we shall begin~

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter One<p>

_The king and his men  
>stole the queen from her bed<br>and bound her in her Bones.  
>The seas be ours<br>and by the powers  
>where we will we'll roam.<em>

_Yo, ho, haul together,  
>hoist the colors high.<br>Heave ho, thieves and beggars,  
>never shall we die.<em>

The trap door opened, and the feet were dangling. Some twitched, others kicked, and the lucky few simply hung like a limp doll, being spared the slow death of suffocation by having their neck broken first, but in the end, all the feet hung that way. Limp and useless.

Dead.

Yamamoto brought the chipped rim of the dusty bottle to his lips, taking a swig of the amber liquid that sloshed in the flask. It tasted like sour milk and grass. The young man walked around the perimeter of the courtyard, emptying the bottle onto the cobblestones as he went, and watched the liquid run down the inclined ground, over the edge of the port, and into the water. The courtyard was right next to the sea. A healthy breeze wafted across the open space as the uniformed guards removed the bodies hanging from the ropes and tossed them onto the horse-drawn cart, which would bring the dead to whatever pit they dug up to toss the corpses in. If they even bothered to dig a hole, that is. Maybe they just dumped the bodies into a giant fire pit or the trench Yamamoto had passed on his way to the execution site.

A new wave of death row prisoners were being marched up the steps now. The spectators gathered around hissed and muttered curses behind their hands. Yamamoto tugged his hat down over his unruly jet black hair, an uncommon colour for people in this area. If the guards looked too closely, they might suspect him and he'd be in a pickle then. The convicts marched up to their places slowly in chains, heads hung low. There was a tall, beefy black man, two scraggly women in rags, a thin man who looked like he hadn't bathed for weeks, and—

The execution pulled up a barrel under the noose and lifted a young boy onto it. He was a scrawny little thing, perhaps only eleven or twelve years old, dressed in what might have been clean clothes, but had now been reduced to tatters. His face was thin and he looked pale, but he looked up and his startlingly green eyes met Yamamoto's. It was wrong how calm this boy was in the face of death. The whispering grew louder.

"My gods, that's a _boy_—"

"Disgraceful."

"They can't do that…"

"But if he's a pirate, he must hang. It's the law."

Yamamoto frowned. The boy tilted his head at him, but the executioner stepped up and pulled a bag over his head, and the green orbs vanished behind a layer of burlap. The murmurings escalated. Yamamoto's own brown eyes dropped to glance at the boy's hands, which were clutching something small and round. The fingers moved, and a flash of gold caught in the sunlight. Yamamoto risked a moment to take his hat off, bowing his head. To think a child would be caught up in such trickery as pirate business for real. This boy deserved a real salute.

_Thieves and beggars_.

The trap door opened.

_Never shall we die_.

Before the coin had fallen from the boy's limp hands onto the dirty sand below the platform, the mysterious young man in the hat had already vanished into the shadows beyond the harbor.

* * *

><p><em>Clang!<em>

"Arrgh! Kyoya! Why'd you do that?" a tall blonde man wailed, waving his arms in despair. In one of his hands he held the remains of what had once been a beautiful sword, now half of its original length. The broken blade quivered ominously on its tip on the floor, the marble tile cracked from where the point had impaled it when it fell. Across the room, a young Asian man with black hair, deep onyx eyes and a thin, heart-shaped face turned and glared in annoyance. In his hands he held two strange looking weapons; both long, collapsible metal rods with a side grip.

"If you'd held the sword properly, that obviously wouldn't have happened." He stated matter of factly, turning on his heel and smirking at his sparring partner. "You're still a herbivore, Dino. Even after a year's training abroad in France."

The blonde man called Dino pouted, walking over to pull the blade out of the ground. "And you're still mean as ever, Kyoya. Why won't you go easy on me for once? We just got back together an hour ago."

The raven snorted. "Don't call me Kyoya. You've got no right using my actual name. Actually, I don't even find you worthy enough to call me Hibari. Maybe you should call me _The Almighty_ or something."

"Ehh? But why? We're practically family already."

"Psh. In your dreams, Cavallone."

Dino was about to make another retort when the large double doors of the drawing room opened, and a young Asian woman about twenty years old walked in. She had black hair tied into two long braids running down her back and wore a red Chinese dress. She glanced around the room and her face lit up immediately when she saw Hibari.

"Brother!" she called out, running over and tackling Hibari in a hug. Hibari grunted a little at the impact, but a small smile lifted the corner of his lips as he hugged his sister back. "I-pin. Have you been training like I told you to?" I-pin looked up and giggled.

"I have!" she said cheerfully. "I beat Dino up at least twice a day when I visited him overseas." Dino let out a splutter of indignation while Hibari looked up, smirk growing.

"I went easy on her, that's all! I can't hit my fiancée. Plus, she's your sister," Dino complained. "You'd kill me if I raised a _finger_ against her." Hibari rolled his eyes.

"Of course I'd kill you. I still haven't given my consent for you to marry her yet anyway." The raven pointed out. Dino almost dropped his broken sword. "Whaaat?" he whined, flailing his arms. "I-pin, your brother's so mean!"

The young woman only stifled her laughter behind her hand, shaking with silent laughter. Hibari leapt over and whacked the blonde on the side of the head for being too noisy. Nobody in their right minds would ever think that the gentle girl and that monster of a man would be siblings, but if one looked closely, you could see that their eyes were the same colour, and their smiles turned up the same way. Hibari treated his sister with the utmost care, and I-pin adored her older brother.

Dino ducked under the table as Hibari sent a giant vase crashing to the floor with a powerful sweep of his arms. "That was from India, you know." Dino complained. "I wish you wouldn't beat everything up with your tonfas all the time."

"Hmph." Hibari snapped, stowing away his weapons. "Well, my sister's back from her outing, so I'm leaving. I only came to check up on her anyway."

"Wah, you're mean, Kyoya!"

_Whack!_

"Ouch! That hurts!"

Hibari turned and hugged I-pin once more. "Look after that idiot," he grumbled. "One good punch would finish him off in battle." I-pin shook her head and smiled. "I will, brother. Take care of yourself now."

Hibari made a noise in his throat as he grabbed his coat and was headed for the doors when I-pin's hesitant call stopped him again.

"Brother, did you find…well…did you find anything about…?"

Hibari paused with his hand on the doorknob while Dino knocked over a chair as he tried to get himself out from under the cramped space of the table.

"No." he said finally. I-pin looked down, tears gathering in her eyes. However, Hibari's next words made her look up again, a hopeful expression on her face.

"But I know how to cure myself now."

With that, the raven pulled open the door and exited one of the many rooms in the giant Cavallone mansion.

* * *

><p>Sunset in the harbor was always a beautiful sight. However, Yamamoto was in no mood to enjoy the scenery. The hanging in the courtyard had finished hours ago, but it was only steps away from the port. After seeing so many fellow pirates die, he wasn't interested in much right now. Yamamoto flipped a coin over in his palm. It wasn't as shiny as the one in the boy's hand, but this coin was his own. It was important in its own way. It sort of represented who he was.<p>

Yamamoto almost chuckled. Yes, it represented a _pirate_. Him, a pirate. If the guards caught him, he'd hang just like those unfortunate souls in the gallows a few feet away. The wind picked up, and Yamamoto had to lift his hand to yank his hat back down on his head. His sleeve dropped down on his right arm a little, exposing the few tattoos he had. There was a compass rose on the inside of his wrist, a few Chinese characters here and there, and a swallow on his forearm. Underneath it was a smeared burn mark. The scar was in the shape of a P. A pirate. Persecuted and marked like a rabid animal.

Yamamoto whistled a tuneless song to himself as he watched the boats sail in from the sea for the night. Fishermen, coast guards, the navy, they were all here, in the central port. The ocean was always a place of tranquility and calm for the dark-haired pirate at night. It gave him the chance to think and relax in the setting sun.

"Commoners aren't allowed at the dock after curfew, herbivore." A sharp voice spoke from behind him, and Yamamoto barely had a moment's notice to duck to avoid being hit in the head by a metal rod.

"Whoa!" he yelped. "Parley, mate!" The offender took no notice to his request, but continued to come after him with swift, steady blows. Yamamoto ducked and dodged, nearly breaking his arm when he raised his hand to block one of the strikes. The guy was an undoubtedly an excellent fighter, but he had quite the temper. Yamamoto jumped out of the way and his hand darted to his belt, closing around a short dagger. When his attacker struck again, the Yamamoto defended with his weapon, making the other raise an eyebrow when metal clashed on metal.

"A commoner with a weapon? Hmph. You're not a normal herbivore, are you?"

"I'm not a _what_?" Yamamoto questioned, frowning at the strange term his opponent was using. They backed up, and for a moment, the glow of the setting sun illuminated the other's face. He was a raven-haired young man, about twenty-five or twenty-six, with deep onyx eyes that practically radiated murder. Yamamoto sucked in his breath. Despite being in such his current situation, he coulnd't help but think that the offender was quite pretty.

"A herbivore," the raven spat. "I'll bite you to death!"

He lunged, but Yamamoto ducked, curling into a ball so that the other tripped over him and fell, face forwards, off the dock and into the water with a resounding splash. Yamamoto spun around and watched the water ripped where the raven had vanished beneath the surface. "What a guy," he mused to himself, waiting for the other to come back up and probably kill him where he stood. However, another moment passed, and Yamamoto frowned when he realized that the raven wasn't getting out of the water. Was he playing a trick? Small bubbles appeared at the top of the water, where the ripples were slowly disappearing. Something wasn't right.

And then, a very peculiar event happened.

From where the raven had fallen into the water, the surface suddenly stilled, then wallowed downwards like some magical force was sucking the liquid towards the bottom of the sea. A second later, the water exploded upwards with a giant splash and a shockwave burst forth from the moment the bubble broke, knocking Yamamoto off his feet and backwards onto the deck. The wind howled and palm trees bent double in the sudden wind. Shutters banged loudly off the walls and any untethered objects went soaring away. Yamamoto froze. What was this devilry…? Then, he remembered that the guy was _still_ underwater.

…Damn.

Without hesitating, Yamamoto tore off his belt that held his sword and other short daggers, yanked his pistol from his boot, tossed his hat and vest onto the deck and removed his shoes before diving into the water after the raven. It was cold and the temperature immediately bit into his skin, but Yamamoto swam through the darkness and felt around for any sign of the raven. He touched solid rocks, slimy plants and sand before he jerked around underwater and his foot brushed up against a suspiciously body-shaped object. Reaching down, his hand found another hand and Yamamoto immediately grasped it tight, pulling upwards, and started kicking hard towards the surface.

When he finally came up for air, the raven was floating limply against him. Yamamoto dragged him up to the dock, climbing up the ladder on the side while he half-hauled, half-dragged the other male along with him. He lowered the body onto the wooden surface, pushing wet bangs out of the shorter man's pale face. He looked quite ill. Yamamoto checked for breathing; there was none. Desperate, he tore off the heavy, soaked jacket off the raven's thin frame and tossed it aside. Off went the vest as well. It was obvious by his attire that this guy was pretty well-off. The materials were of nice quality and the buttons were gold-plated. Yamamoto positioned himself with his hands above the raven's chest and forced downwards quickly, trying to push the water out and start the heartbeat again. Push, push, and Yamamoto leaned down to pinch the raven's nose shut as he sealed his lips over the other's freezing mouth, forcing air into the other's lungs. There were several tense moments where Yamamoto fought to save the guy's life, and then, the raven choked and spewed water up into Yamamoto's face as he leaned down again.

"Pffft! You're up," Yamamoto said, wiping his face as the shorter rolled over on his side, coughing up a large amount of seawater. "You okay there?"

The onyx eyes turned to him again, still managing to narrow and make him look positively dangerous despite looking like a half-drowned cat. "What…what's going on…?"

Yamamoto opened his mouth to reply, but at that moment, the raven moved, and his saggy shirt slipped a little down his chest and a dark shape, like a tattoo, was exposed on the milky white skin. Yamamoto froze in shock for a split second before he darted forwards and grabbed the raven's shoulders.

"What the fuck are you—"

"What's that on your chest?" Yamamoto asked fiercely, shaking the raven slightly. "Let me see!"

"What—why—"

Yamamoto didn't wait for an answer. He tore the front of the garment open, the other's loud protests falling on deaf ears. The metal tonfas were at the bottom of the harbor right now. There were no weapons on this guy at the moment. The shirt was torn in half from collar to hem, revealing a smooth, pale chest with a lean, muscled torso. However, marked on the white skin, just below the collarbones, was a circle roughly the size of fist. It was etched over the skin like a burn, but it was an unnatural inky black in colour. Thin, spiderlike lines connected to each other inside of the black ring, crisscrossing in every direction, but all the ends of the lines joined together to create a strange, sinister, skull in the very center of the circle. Yamamoto stared down at the mark. This man…could he possibly be…?

A sharp blow to his face made the dark-haired pirate jerk to attention. The raven shoved him away, scrambling to his feet and yanking his torn shirt back over his chest, his anger dominating his features. But behind that rage…was a dash of fear?

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" the raven shouted, yanking his vest over him. The jacket quickly followed. Yamamoto paused, staring up at the shorter man from his kneeling position on the ground.

"Your name wouldn't happen to be Hibari, would it?"

The raven froze and stared. He didn't reply, but his body language was as good as a confession. "What—?"

"You can't swim." Yamamoto cut in. "You've tried to learn, but you always sink like a rock to the bottom of the sea."

Hibari, if possible, paled even more. "How—?"

"That mark's been on you since you were born. Do you know what it is?"

Yamamoto stood up, and Hibari backed away, his eyes frightened but fierce. This stranger had just started naming everything that had basically made up his whole experience with the sea. Who was he?

"It's a curse, isn't it? A curse passed on to you from a descendant, or a relative…or your father, perhaps? Am I right?"

"No—no—"

"It's you," Yamamoto said in a strained voice, staring right into Hibari's eyes. "You're _his_ son. You're—"

Boom.

The entire harbor shook as a canon shot came blasting out of nowhere, aimed right at the portside city. There was a deafening crash as a building was struck and crumpled down into ashes. Yamamoto spun around, staring out into the sea. Hibari scanned the horizon as well.

"What in the world—?"

"Damnmation!" Yamamoto cursed angrily, ducking as two more canon shots were fired. "It's them!"

"Who?" Hibari yelled back over the noise. The night sky was lit up by the leaping flames of the city burning down. The taller man turned and gave Hibari a grim stare. "Reborn. The captain of the _Black Sun._"

"A pirate."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow at Hibari as another canon crashed into the walls. "Yes, Hibari. He's a pirate. And he's here for something."

"What?" Hibari asked urgently. The dark-haired pirate turned and gestured towards the mark on his chest.

"You."

* * *

><p>I was so into this, I actually went and looked up some of the terms pirates used back in the day and some of the styles of clothes people wore in the era, though I don't think I did a very good job of describing it, haha ^^" Also, I'm going to watch all three of the movies sometime this week, just too refresh my memory on the misadventures of Captain Jack Sparrow and his friends~ :D So this is the first chapter! I think this story will be a little longer than my last one, <em>One Summer's Day<em>. I've developed an interest in writing fanfictions based on movies. Anyway, I understand that it's a bit difficult trying to express who the characters of KHR represent without actually saying it, but this time, I'll just state who they are. I'm getting lazy xD

Yamamoto- Captain Jack Sparrow  
>Hibari- No character<br>Dino- Will Turner-ish  
>I-pin- Elizabeth Swann<br>Reborn- Captain Barbosa

That's all for now! Other characters will be coming up in later chapters~ Thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated!

-BlackStar


	2. Chapter 2

Thieves and Beggars

Aaaaaand, I bring you Chapter Two! Okay, that's all :3

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Two<p>

The canons roared in the pitch black night as the _Black Sun _advanced on the seaside town, dealing blow after blow to the normally peaceful town. Fires had broken out everywhere, and people were in a state of panic, dashing about and screaming for family members and friends. Amidst the chaos, Yamamoto and Hibari shoved their way through the crowd, fighting their way over to the shallow end of the harbor, near the beaches, where the pirates were starting to wade their way towards land. Yamamoto would be damned if he let Reborn's underlings make their way towards this place.

_Reborn_. Yamamoto's expression darkened murderously. The moment he saw that son of a bitch, he'll shoot him through the head.

"Where the hell are you going?" Hibari yelled over the noise. "The beaches are this way!"

Yamamoto blinked. Hibari was standing several feet away from him, shooting impatient looks at the ship in the distance and the shoreline. Yamamoto shook himself free of lingering thoughts and hurried over. The moment the raven had learned that the town was under attack because of him, he'd grabbed Yamamoto by the collar, demanded him to swim to the bottom of the harbor, retrieve his tonfas and help him fight off the pirates. He didn't even ask _why_ the Reborn was after him. It amused the dark-haired pirate to see the previously helpless man order him around like that, but the hard look in Hibari's eyes had made it very clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Thus, Yamamoto was now soaked to the bone again, tagging along after the raven, making his way down wooden docks to 'greet' the pirates that had nearly reached the shore.

"Hurry up," Hibari muttered, dragging Yamamoto towards the boardwalk. Three figures had already made their way up to the side of the beach closest to the two, talking and cussing loudly. One of them was holding a large bottle of rum in his hand. Swords, pistols, and daggers hung on their belts and shoulder straps. Yamamoto and Hibari ducked behind several large boulders, peeking through the tall weeds to see the pirates stagger up from the sea, their faces hidden by the dark. The moonlight didn't make it past the tall cliffs on the other side of the shore.

"Gods, I can't believe Reborn made us come to this dump. This better not lead to a dead end again! I'm sick of looking everywhere, kora!"

"Shhhh, you're so loud! Everyone's gonna hear us!"

There was a thump, and a pathetic cry of pain.

"Are you stupid? We shot at this blasted town already! Of course these peasants are gonna know something's up, kora."

"Stop your bitching. I'm only in this for the money, so if you guys mess me over like the last raid, I promise I'll throw you to the Hempen Halter _(1)_."

"Greedy pig, kora."

"Arse."

"Get up," Hibari hissed to Yamamoto. "They're getting away."

"No." Yamamoto said suddenly, closing his hand over the hilt of his sword. "You stay here."

"What?" Hibari snapped, outraged. "What the hell do you think you're—"

Yamamoto, glaring at the three invaders with a rather uncharacteristic expression of cold anger on his face, pushed Hibari down and clambered over the rock himself, unsheathing his sword as he went. The three pirates, still busy arguing, didn't notice him until Yamamoto walked right up behind them and kicked the shortest of the three on the back, sending him flying face forward into the sand. The other two immediately spun around and the tallest, who was blonde, swung his hatchet down on Yamamoto. The dark-haired pirate blocked with his sword and executed a side kick, nailing the blonde in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and made him stagger back a few steps.

"You son of a –"

"Stop!"

It was the last pirate who spoke. He had a weird, large black cloak on, which was wet around the bottom because of the sea water. The oversized hood shadowed his head and covered his eyes. Oh his cheeks were two tattoos of purple triangles pointing downwards. He had a short rapier in his hand, but he didn't move in to fight. The pirate leaned in and peered curiously at Yamamoto, and then his mouth turned down in distaste, appearing to recognize the dark-haired man.

"It's _you_."

Yamamoto's mouth twitched into a thin smile, turning to face the cloaked man. "Of course it's me, Mammon. Who else did you think it would be?"

"You!" The pirate who'd been kicked in the butt had managed to scramble to his feet, holding out a pistol clumsily. "Yamamoto! You're supposed to be dead!"

The blonde smacked him on the back of the head. "Don't be an idiot, Skull. Reborn knew he was alive." He turned with a crooked smile to the dark-haired man. "The infamous Yamamoto Takeshi, Swallow of the Sea. But you're so hated by the sea gods that even _Daemon's Locker_ wouldn't take you in."

Yamamoto laughed coldly. "What about you, then, Colonello? How's immortality suiting you?"

Colonello, Skull, and Mammon all froze at those words. They didn't want to show it, but it was obvious Yamamoto's words had hit a nerve. Colonello gripped his weapon tightly, voice straining to remain level. It was difficult, given how angry he was at the moment. "You bloody arse, we should've killed you like we did that traitor!"

He raised his hatchet again, but before he could attack, a metal tonfa went flying out of nowhere and smacked into his face.

"Arrgh!"

Yamamoto spun around, knowing exactly who it was, and tried to yell, "No—!" But Hibari had already dashed over and was launching himself at the blonde. The end of the tonfa met Colonello's jaw, the force of the blow snapping the blonde's head back and sending him sprawling on the ground. Hibari rounded on Skull, who panicked and fired in the wrong direction (the bullet missed Yamamoto by a hair). The raven ducked and slammed the butt of the tonfa into Skull's…well, _skull_, and knocked him backwards too. Mammon stabbed at Hibari with his sword, but it was parried by several quick blows and the heel of Hibari's foot met Mammon's solar plexus, making the hooded pirate staggered backwards, gasping for air.

Yamamoto grabbed Hibari's arm and hissed fiercely, "Run! They'll see your face! Get your arse out of here and leave this to me!"

But Mammon chose that perfect moment to splutter, "I know _him_! That cursed face! I know it!"

"Hang yourself, Mammon, it's not who you think it is!" Yamamoto snarled, bringing his sword down and cleaved Mammon's arm right off. Skull screeched, but Mammon only stumbled back a few steps, looking surprised, but then a grin spread to his face.

"Well well, Yamamoto, you haven't forgotten, have you?" the pirate taunted as he leaned down to pick up his severed arm. Yamamoto cussed quietly and moved himself to stand in front of Hibari. Behind them, Colonello got to his feet, chuckling, wiping blood off his face.

"I think he has, Mammon. Show him how it's done, kora."

Mammon leered unpleasantly at them, walking calmly forwards while Yamamoto walked back, forcing Hibari to retreat with him. They walked until Mammon finally came out from under the shadow of the cliff and into the moonlight. Hibari sucked in his breath and immediately raised his tonfas. Colonello barked out a laugh.

"It wouldn't do you any good to hit us, sonny! Didn't you hear what Yamamoto said before, kora? We're immortal!"

"You're demons," Hibari shot back, glaring.

Mammon shrugged, holding up his arm and inspecting it carefully. "Call us what you like. We only appear like this in the moonlight anyway." He turned to look at Yamamoto. "Isn't that right, Takeshi?"

It was a horrifying sight. Where Mammon's face once had human flesh was only bones now. The tattoos were gone, since there was no skin for it to be imprinted upon. His teeth clacked, his jaw was dangling because there weren't enough muscles to hold it up completely, and he had no nose. There was a gaping hole in the middle of his face. His thick cloak had been reduced to decaying rags, displaying his decomposing bones through the tears in the material.

Colonello and Skull had lumbered forwards too. Colonello's hair was gone, leaving only his bandana tied around his skull. He picked up the bottle of rum he'd dropped earlier and took a swig out of it. The drink sloshed in his jaw a little before splattering all over his ribs and landing on the sand because there was no stomach to hold the alcohol in. Skull's clothes hung like a pile of dirty laundry on a hanger that was too small to support so much material and his eyeballs rolled in their sockets, dangling loosely from thin strands of muscle.

Mammon held up his severed arm with one hand. The fingers flexed, even though it wasn't connected to the pirate's shoulder bones. "We can't be killed because we're already _dead_," he sneered. "Thanks to that turncoat and this guy here." The bony fingers gestured rudely at Yamamoto. Mammon turned his arm the right way and shoved it back into its socket, bones crunching sickeningly as he did so. Colonello cracked his spine.

"Get out of here," Yamamoto muttered hurriedly to Hibari. "You're the one they're after, but they don't know that yet—"

"I'm fighting," Hibari argued angrily. "I'm not weak."

"Just go!"

"I'll bite you to death!"

"Said your prayers yet?" Colonello drawled.

Yamamoto cursed. "Damnation—"

Suddenly, a horn sounded. It was loud and eerie and echoed around the cove. Mammon stopped, looking around in surprise. "What in the devil…?"

The horn sounded again. Colonello suddenly rasped, "We're done here! Back to the ship!"

"Ehhh?" Skull asked, confused. "How?"

Mammon smirked. "We've got what we wanted, that's what." He turned to sneer at Yamamoto. "We'll be watching you, boy. Reborn might want to come back for you after this."

Yamamoto glared. "Tell him that if he showed his face, I'll put a bullet through his skull."

The horn sounded a third time. The three pirates turned and began making their way back towards the sea. Hibari snarled and started forwards but Yamamoto grabbed his arms and pulled him back. "Don't," he said quietly. "This isn't the right time to fight them."

The raven turned with a fierce glare. "They won't get away with this." Yamamoto cast him an annoyed look. "Don't go picking fights you can't win, Hibari. What are you going to do, follow them out into the sea? You'll sink faster than a stone."

Despite himself, Hibari flushed, angry. He shoved Yamamoto away from him, walking back up towards the town, muttering about herbivores. Yamamoto sighed, sheathed his sword and adjusted his hat. He probably shouldn't have made that jibe about the swimming part. The dark-haired pirate hurried after the raven, who was pushing through rubble and a crowd of people. "Hey, Hibari—"

The next thing he knew, a fist had connected painfully with his jaw. Yamamoto cussed, spitting out blood, blinking stars out of his vision. Hibari glared at him, livid, and hissed, "Don't. Follow. Me. Herbivore." Yamamoto shook his head. Yup, the comment had not been a smart move at all.

Despite the other's threat, Yamamoto followed the raven's journey through the ruined town at a safe distance until the other reached a path leading up a hill, where a giant mansion sat on the top of the grassy slope, overseeing the entire village. Yamamoto whistled. Hibari really was a rich guy.

However, as they made their way up towards the house, it was clear that something was wrong. The iron gates had been forced open, the lock hanging uselessly from the gate. Hibari stopped and stared, before directing his gaze towards the mansion. The doors had been completely blown apart, and one side of the house was demolished.

"No." Hibari snarled. He whipped out his tonfas. "Wait, Hibari—" Yamamoto said, but the raven was already sprinting up the driveway towards the house. "Wait!"

The two men raced up to the doors, bursting into the landing. It was mess. There was glass on the floor, tables upturned and the coatrack was lying on its side. A body—the butler, probably— was lying on his back, a bullet through his head. Hibari glared and ran upstairs, yelling, "Dino! Bucking Horse!"

Yamamoto dashed after him, blinking. Dino? It sounded familiar.

Hibari ran up to the second floor, still yelling, "Dino! Answer me, dammit!" Then, a muffled voice sounded from one of the rooms down a long hallway.

"Kyoya!"

Hibari cursed and sprinted towards a pair of giant double doors, Yamamoto hot on his heels. The raven kicked the heavy doors open and burst into the room. It was a huge sitting area, which would have looked quite elegant had the room not been entirely raided. It looked like a hurricane had blown its way in. Sofas were upturned, the coffee table was lying on its side, a box of chocolates and other gift-wrapped parcels were strewn all over the place. Books lay scattered on the floor, and the shelf had been knocked over too. But under the bookshelf was—

"Dino!" Hibari said, the smallest hint of surprise evident in his voice. He hurried over to where the blonde man was pinned under the heavy mantelpiece. Dino grimaced, blood running down his face from a nasty cut on his forehead. Both his legs were trapped, and his sword was lying several feet away from him. He wasn't seriously hurt, but he was stuck.

"Kyoya! Don't worry about me! You've got to go after them!"

"What are you blabbing about?" Hibari snapped, crouching down and grabbing the end of the bookcase so he could try to wedge something underneath it to ease the pressure on Dino's legs.

"They're gone," Yamamoto said, passing a large chunk of wood over to Hibari. "I think it would be unwise to follow those pirates in this situation."

Dino, if possible, paled even more and started struggling. "What? They're gone? No, no, you're lying, tell me you're lying—"

"They've left, Bucking Horse!" Hibari bellowed, grabbing Dino's collar. "Now shut up so we can get you out from this thing!"

"Kyoya! You don't understand!" Dino cried, extremely distressed, as Yamamoto and Hibari both heaved on the bookshelf at once. The heavy wooden piece fell aside and Dino slowly pulled himself back into a sitting position, still distraught. "They've—they've—oh my gods…"

"Get to your point!"

"They've taken her!" Dino yelled, grabbing Hibari's shoulders and shook him. Hibari blinked, confused for a moment, but then turned so white Yamamoto thought he would pass out on the spot. The raven looked even worse than when he had almost drowned.

"Who's gone?" he asked urgently. Dino shook his head, a tear trickling down his face. "I'm sorry, Hibari," he whispered. "I'm so sorry…they said…she looked like someone, like that traitor, or something, and they kept saying it was her…Hibari, please, I—"

"Wait." Yamamoto cut in, making Dino turned his head towards him. "You said she looked like 'that traitor'?"

Dino frowned in his direction, not knowing who Yamamoto was, but Hibari turned and grabbed Yamamoto by the front of his shirt, snarling, "You know who they were talking about, herbivore? Spill it now or I'll kill you!"

"Wait, first tell me who 'she' is," Yamamoto said. "Who else would look like Hibari?" But the raven shook Yamamoto even harder, determined to get an answer. "Who is the damned traitor all those herbivores were talking about? They said it at the beach too!"

"It's—it's—" Yamamoto struggled to find a reasonable explanation. "The traitor is the reason why the entire crew of Reborn's ship, including himself, is immortal. They once sought a treasure that would bring them eternal fortune and control over the Seven Seas, and they found it. But it came with a steep price. Once the treasure was taken, they would turn into demons under the moonlight. Demons that would never be human again, would never die, but never truly live, and linger between life and death. Eternal torture. Reborn returned the treasure, but they still couldn't return to normal."

"Why?" Dino interjected. Yamamoto paused.

"Someone took a piece of the treasure with them. One of Reborn's crew. Without that last piece, they would never become human again. They hunted the traitor down and killed him, but the last pirate never had the treasure on him. It was long gone, passed on to whoever lived on with his bloodline. A curse. An eternal curse of bearing the final piece."

"But then…" Dino said, running his hand through his hair in frustration, "Why I-pin?"

"Who's I-pin?"

Hibari jerked Yamamoto towards him so that they were virtually nose-to-nose. "My_ sister_," he said bleakly. "Her name is I-pin."

Yamamoto glanced at Hibari. "She looked like you, didn't she?" he asked quietly. "Brother and sister, looks alike, and the crew could have easily mistaken them if they didn't know the gender of the cursed blood relative."

Dino shook his head, wiping his eyes. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying," Yamamoto explained, "That Hibari and I-pin are both the children of the traitor. The one who hid the final piece of the treasure to trap Reborn and his crew in eternal torture. But…Hibari…you know you're the one who's cursed, don't you?"

The raven stared blankly back, shaking with rage and grief. "Where did they take my sister?" he asked. "You know those pirates. Take me to where they're going. If they have my sister, they think they're going to reverse that damned curse of theirs, don't they? We're going to save her."

"Hibari, wait," Dino said suddenly, cutting in between them. "This guy…I don't trust him."

"What?" Hibari asked, exasperated. "I don't give a rat's arse who this herbivore is! He knows those pirates, and he'll get us to them. Or else," he added as an afterthought, onyx eyes slicing through Yamamoto.

"Still," Dino insisted. "Give me your name. My family has useful ties with the navy. If you know those pirates, chances are, you're one too."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow, looking between the suspicious blonde and the seething raven. He sighed and took his hat off, playing it off with a mock bow. "I am Yamamoto Takeshi, good sir. The Swallow of the Sea."

Dino's jaw dropped. "_What?_"

Yamamoto smirked a little. "The one and only."

Dino rounded on Hibari. "This man—!"

Hibari's eyes narrowed. "You're really a pirate?"

"Aye." Yamamoto rolled the right sleeve of his shirt up, and the scarred burn mark of a _P_ stood out from a mile away on his forearm. Dino took one look at the tattoos on Yamamoto's arm and spluttered. "We can't trust him! He's not just a pirate!"

"What do you mean by that?" Hibari snarled, getting dangerously close to combusting from confusion.

"He's one of the Circle of Seven." Dino said, glaring at Yamamoto. "If the pirates had a government, he'd be one of their leaders."

"We do have a government," Yamamoto shot back. "For the record, Cavallone, I'm not a _leader_, I'm a _lord_. The Pirate Lord of the Caribbean sea."

"You—!"

Hibari suddenly pushed Dino out of the way and jabbed his tonfa at Yamamoto's chest. "You're a pirate."

"How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

"I don't care who you are," Hibari said quietly. "We're making a deal. Bring me to my sister. Help me bring her back. Do that, and I'll make sure that _P_ on your forearm will never mean anything in the eyes of the East India Trading Company ever again."

Dino choked. "Hibari, you can't just—"

"Bucking Horse, that is your _fiancée _and my _sister_ they've got. I don't care who I use or who I kill. I'm going to bring her back and bite them all the death!" Hibari exploded, sparing Dino one fierce glare over his shoulder.

"Hn," Yamamoto mused. "Tempting offer. But I'll warn you right now that I have no ship."

"The navy will never loan you one," Dino said stiffly. "Even I can't help that, I'm afraid."

"Then we're going to steal one, aren't we." Hibari said blandly. Dino looked like he was going to have a heart attack. "Hibari!"

"Preferably a big one." Yamamoto pointed out.

"We're going now." Hibari said bluntly, turning to Dino. "I don't care if you come or not. But if you don't, you're never marrying I-pin. I won't let some herbivore wed my sister."

Dino looked ready to murder something. Then he closed his eyes and heaved a sigh, looking ten years older. He reached for a scabbard for his sword. "You really think I wouldn't come, Kyoya?" he asked quietly.

Hibari covered the room in three strides and kicked the doors wide open. He turned and glared at Yamamoto. Shrugging, the dark-haired pirate and plopped the hat snugly back on his head. "Very well. It doesn't really matter to me whether or not you rid me of my pirate status. Either way, I'm not going to be leaving the seas."

Hibari didn't turn around, but Yamamoto knew the raven was listening. Dino, however, narrowed his eyes and said suspiciously, "Then why are you helping us?"

Yamamoto's face darkened with cold malice. "Reborn's got something of mine…and something else that I'm going to have to take from him."

"Which is…?"

Yamamoto tugged a worn-down pistol from his belt and absent-mindedly twirled it in his hand. "My ship," he replied, "and his life."

* * *

><p><em>(1) Hempen Halter: The hangman's noose. The ropes back then were made of hemp fibers.<em>

So…this was Chapter Two! We meet Colonello, Skull, and Mammon, yay :D I know there's a lot of debate at times whether Mammon is male or female, but for the sake of this story, Mammon will be male ^^"  
>I-pin has been kidnapped by Reborn's crew, who thinks she's the traitor's child that bears the curse! Nuu, how sad D: Aaaaand…Yamamoto's got something against Reborn. Dino's got something against Yamamoto. I've got something against my internet connection. I haven't been able to update because of that…so, my apologies *bows*<p>

In any case, thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated. I promise Chapter Three will come up soon~

-BlackStar


	3. Chapter 3

Thieves and Beggars

I'm on a roll. I literally spat this one out of my head after Chapter Two. Must…conquer…writer's block…nuuu. ^^" Anyway…here is Chapter Three.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

It wasn't the first time Yamamoto had stolen a ship before. When he was six, he'd pinched a rowboat off his father and made it halfway out of the bay before the tide turned the little wooden dinghy over, almost sending him to his watery grave. The second time, he managed to get his hands on a slightly bigger sailboat (also his father's) and enjoyed a day of carefree sailing under the hot summer sun, getting tanned and simply listening to the water rocking against the side of the boat. The third time, it had been a giant cruiser, in the company of a rowdy, but faithful, crew.

But his previous adventures looked almost pale to the one he was experiencing now. Stuck with an angry Hibari and the son of the navy's biggest sponsor wasn't really the company Yamamoto was hoping to take with him as he finally started his chase after Reborn. Hibari wasn't exactly the most discreet person, and he'd make a hell of a lot of noise as they hurried through the demolished town. Dino was even worse. He was the most horrible landlubber Yamamoto had ever seen in his life. The blonde stumbled, dropped things, ran into stationary objects and had an awful habit of tripping over _absolutely nothing_. If the town hadn't been in such a panic, Yamamoto was sure they wouldn't even make it to the dock before half a dozen rifles fired in their way.

Briskly strolling into the restricted area at the docks, the three unlikely comrades began browsing through the ships, looking for the most suitable one why trying to stay hidden from the guards that still patrolled the decks and along the harbor. Dino, having grown up alongside of the navy and was now taking care of his family's business, was savvy with all the liners and pointed out each of the ships they passed.

"That's the _Queen_," he whispered. "She's one of the biggest there is. The greenish looking one behind her is the _Mist_. And that one, down to the left, is the _Gola Mosca_. It's got three compartments of gunpowder below and the deck has over two dozen cannons lined up like soldiers."

"Which is an averaged sized one, but has the best speed?" Yamamoto muttered, shrinking back into the shadows as another guard walked past them.

Dino waited until they were out of earshot before pointing out at the mouth of the cove. "That would be the _Vongola_. She's always ready to sail. She's the navy's pride and joy." He paused, paled a little, and then grabbed Yamamoto's arm. "We're _not_ taking that one," he hissed. "Not by the likes of you!"

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow and jerked his arm back. "Who said anything about the _Vongola_?" he muttered. "I'm only asking, mate." He peered around at the rest of the ships bobbing in the waves. "Which is the smallest one? Small, but with decent speed."

Dino looked surprised. "Speed? Then we'd be looking at the _Wind_. It's a scout."

Yamamoto pursed his lips and nodded. "That's the one we'll need."

Hibari frowned. "We're not going to sail across the ocean in a ship that small," he hissed. "We won't make it." Yamamoto shook his head. "You'll see," he said quietly. "Just follow me." With that, the dark-haired pirate ducked out from under the shadows and vanished behind one of the ships. Hibari made a noise in the back of his throat and was about to follow when Dino grabbed his arm, pulling the raven back.

"What are you doing, herbivore?"

"Hibari, we can't follow him," Dino hissed urgently. "He's a pirate. A lawbreaker. He should be reported to the authorities and hang."

Hibari glared at Dino, looking murderous. "The longer we stand here talking, the further away I-pin is getting. I don't care anymore. Stop wasting my time."

"Hibari—Gods, Hibari, you can't even swim! You do realize where we're going means no dry land for miles around?"

But the raven had shot a murderous look at the blonde and slipped out of Dino's grip, running quietly down the boardwalk towards the _Wind_ as well. Dino stifled a groan of frustration and followed, knocking over a bucket as he ran. Yamamoto was waiting for them by the side of the boat, holding a small, circular mirror in the palm of his hand. He moved it from side to side, scanning the reflection on the top of the deck.

"I don't see anybody walking on the ship, and there's no light down under, but there's no telling if there's a bugger hiding behind the gunpowder or something," Yamamoto muttered, sliding the mirror into one of his many pockets. "Go around and find the Jacob's Ladder _(1)_, but check every nook and cranny before getting comfortable."

Hibari immediately ran to the other side, scrambling up the side of the ship. Dino followed reluctantly, and Yamamoto came up last, untethering the scout boat as he went. It was a small little thing, but definatly built for speed and stealth. Dino was already unfurling the sails. The hatch on the deck was open, and a moment later, Hibari popped his head up, pulling himself out of the hull. "There's nobody," he grunted.

"Good," Yamamoto said, moving over to take the wheel. "We're going to move fast, since the place is crawling with guards. They'll be on us the moment we set sail."

"You better know what you're doing," Dino warned, apparently finally coming into terms that he wasn't going to be able to back out of this anymore. Yamamoto shot him an easy-going grin. "Relax, mate. I know everything there is to know when it comes to nicking a good ship from the navy."

Dino scowled and Hibari rolled his eyes. Yamamoto pulled a little black box from the folds of his jacket, popped it open and stared intently at it. Then, he snapped it shut and said smartly, "Lift the anchor! We set sail now!"

Dino scrambled to the side of the boat and immediately cranked the heavy weight up. The breeze caught the large, white sails, which immediately expanded like wings, and the _Wind_ was splashing out of its place by the dock. Both Dino and Hibari peered around the harbor. So far, so good. They were completely unnoticed…until Yamamoto suddenly decided to reach over to the side of the boat and tug on the foghorn. The sound that blasted through the harbor was equivalent to a herd of elephants running through a chapel during morning prayers. Shouts immediately sounded from the harbor.

"Hey! Who's that on the ship?"

"Bandits!"

"They're taking the _Wind_! After them!"

"What are you doing?" Dino shrieked. Hibari cussed and grabbed Dino by the end of his coat. "Get down, you moron!"

There were the sounds of rifles firing at them. Dino yelped and ducked for cover, but Hibari slipped through the hatch and came back up in a second, cradling three rifles in his hand. He threw one at Dino, who barely caught it, and tossed the other one back at Yamamoto with a dirty glare. The dark-haired pirate whistled cheerily in response, lifting one of his legs up and slammed the heel of his boot on top of the wheel to keep it in place as he leisurely took aim and fired. Hibari crouched behind the rail and fired several shots as well.

A flare went up; showering the sky in red, and the _Vongola_ immediately sounded its horn. Dino gasped. "Yamamoto! The _Vongola's_ going to intercept us!"

"Really? Jolly good!"

Dino spluttered. "What in devil's name is wrong with you?" Hibari's eyes narrowed. "What's your plan, herbivore? This had better be good!"

Yamamoto only grinned, reaching behind him for a length of rope to secure the wheel with. "Grab your duffle _(2)_, gentlemen," he said lightly. "We're going to do a bit of moving now."

The _Wind_ drifted towards the giant _Vongola_, close enough for the sides to touch. Instantly, planks were thrown down onto the deck and about half a dozen sailors came dashing on board, holding rifles and swords. A tall, well-dressed man in a blue coat and a hat came down last, yelling out to the group of three. "Thieves! Show yourself now, or we'll spare you no mercy!"

There was no reply.

The Commander frowned and gestured towards his men. "Search the hull. They've got to be here somewhere."

The sailors immediately lifted the hatch and ducked under the deck. After a moment or two of silence, one of them came back up and said, "Sir! There's…nobody down here." The Commander's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, there's nobody down there?"

A sudden yell and the sound of splashing on board the _Vongola_ immediately revealed the reason why the _Wind_ was suddenly empty of ship-stealing criminals. The planks resting on the rails of both ships were suddenly dropped into the sea, and the two remaining sailors on the bigger ship screamed as they were forcefully thrown overboard. Hibari leaned against the rail, glaring down at the Commander and his men, and heaved a giant barrel over the side of the _Vongola_. Yelling in panic, the sailors on the scouting boat scattered as the barrel landed with a crunch on the wheel, splitting it right down the middle and leaving the sailors stranded without any way of properly turning the boat.

"Sir!" one of the sailors cried. "They've swung aboard the _Vongola_!"

"Cut the ropes! Hoist the anchor!" Yamamoto bellowed, turning the wheel rapidly and steering the giant ship towards the mouth of the cove. There was a loud, screeching noise as Dino hurriedly cranked the giant weight out of the water. Hibari jumped up to slice apart the ropes they'd swung over on, and the ship that was always ready to sail began gliding smoothly away from the little harbor.

"The Swallow of the Sea!" the Commander roared. "Yamamoto Takeshi, we'll remember this! Prepare yourself!" But his threats were lost in the sound of the crashing waves as the navy's pride and joy sailed away into the open ocean faster than any other ship in the cove.

"That was either pure genius or complete madness," Dino said weakly, watching the navy officers panic and try to set sail after them. Yamamoto grinned, slinging his rifle along his back and navigated the _Vongola_ towards the sea. "Funny how often those two seem to coincide."

Hibari walked up to where Yamamoto was steering. He wore a slightly nauseated expression on his face, probably because he was completely off dry land and was surrounded by water. Yamamoto quirked an eyebrow and asked quietly, "You savvy, mate?"

Hibari, despite looking pale, managed a death glare. "None of your business." Yamamoto chuckled a little, muttering something French under his breath that Hibari did not recognize. "Where are we headed?" the raven finally asked, scanning the vast horizon cloaked in the darkness of night. Yamamoto hummed a little and pulled the black box out of his coat again. Up close, Hibari could finally see that it was a compass, but it seemed to be broken. It didn't point north, and the needle was spinning around like a frantic weather vane caught in a windstorm. However, its mad turning seemed to make perfect sense to the dark-haired pirate, who closed the box with another snap and turned the wheel abruptly to his left.

"It's a big ship, mate. We're going to need a few more hands on deck."

"And where do you expect to find a crew?" Dino asked shrewdly. "Nobody in their right mind is going to follow a pirate."

Yamamoto adjusted his hat. "Not if you're a pirate too," he said with a crooked grin. Dino's jaw dropped and he made an indignant noise. Yamamoto only laughed. "We're going to Rain Island first. There's someone there I have to see."

* * *

><p>Rain Island was, in fact, nothing like its namesake. Firstly, there was no rain and it wasn't actually an island. It was just a little tip of land sticking out from a bigger stretch of shore covered in plants and towering trees, and it was no bigger than a chunk of rock one would find sticking up from the side of a particularly stony shoreline next to a cliff. A tilting building nearly three stories tall took up most of the space on the island. Boats of all shapes and sizes bobbed along the dock, and loud music was playing in the dwelling. People were walking along the edge of the island, shrieking like buffoons and definatly drinking.<p>

"What is this?" Dino said, almost sounding revolted. Yamamoto coughed a little was they sailed through a low haze of smoke puffing out from the second story window. "You'll see, mate." He braced. "Keep your stomach in."

They lowered the anchor away from the dock and dropped one of the rowboats, paddling their way over to the island. The smell hit them first. The island reeked of old liquor, smoke, spirits and unwashed clothes. It was also quite filthy. The ground was covered with litter and rotting food and there were animals like pigs and chickens running around. Several large, black dogs were fighting over a strip of meat. Yamamoto pulled his hat down and plowed bravely through a gaggle of scantily dressed women, who leered at him and cooed at Dino as he passed. Hibari pushed one out of the way by her face. Their insults could have been worse, though, and the three of them pushed the door of the pub open and walked in.

The place was tidier inside than it was out, but there was so much smoke from pipes and the fireplace that it looked like a cloud had permanently moved into the creaking building. People were eating and drinking, some were dancing to the loud and badly played fiddle music while others were gambling in the corner.

Yamamoto seemed to know exactly where to go, and was already halfway across the room and heading up the stairs. Dino was accosted near the tables, where another group of women clung to him like spiders to their webs. Hibari rolled his eyes and ignored Dino's pleas to him for help, choosing to follow Yamamoto up the rickety steps and onto the second level, where there were more people eating, drinking, and smoking. The dark-haired man weaved in an out of the crowd, peering at every other face he saw, but always ended up drawing back, shaking his head slightly. It happened several more times before Yamamoto stopped so suddenly that Hibari walked into him.

"What are you—?"

Yamamoto walked right over towards a lone man sitting by a table at the corner. He had a scratchy looking cloak on that wrapped close around him and a hood that hid his face, but thick, spiky golden hair poked up from the front, as though it was defying the constraint of the hood. There was a long, black pipe smoking on the table, but there was no food or drink. The man was simply sitting there. Yamamoto strolled right up to the fellow and slid into the chair directly across from him. Hibari, slightly bemused, sat down next to Yamamoto.

"Fancy a drink, old man?" Yamamoto asked, playing with the pipe. "Or would you rather me get you some food?" There was no response. Yamamoto chuckled and lifted the carved ivory pipe to his lips, inhaling and blowing a stream of hazy smoke into the air. He watched the drifting smolder from incoherent shapes in the air before speaking to the ceiling.

"Bugger up, mate. How long are you going to sit like that pretending you don't know me?" There was a moment of silence, but then a hand appeared from the folds of the cloak and snatched the pipe back from Yamamoto.

"Don't touch my things, arse."

Yamamoto grinned a little and leaned in, stretching out a hand to push the hood on the other man of his head. The heavy cover fell away from the man's head, falling back onto his shoulders. He was quite young, perhaps only twenty-five or twenty-six, older than Yamamoto and Hibari by only a few years. His hair was a shock of golden tresses that stuck up in every direction possible and seemed to shine like sunlight even in the dark, dank atmosphere of the pub. His eyes were a pale sky blue, but flashed into a blazing orange colour when he turned his head. He had a thin face like Hibari, but his nose was longer and his features a little softer than the raven's. In a way, he had an easy-going charm similar to Yamamoto's, but it wasn't like anybody could tell from the permanent scowl etched on his face at the moment.

Yamamoto drummed his fingers on the table. "Long time no see, Giotto."

The man named Giotto did not return a greeting, but placed the pipe firmly between his teeth and exhaled a cloud of smoke into the air. The dark-haired pirate grinned, apparently unfazed by the blonde man's cold non-response, and instead chose to take that as an invitation to continue talking.

"Listen, mate, I've got a favour to ask."

Giotto cast Yamamoto a shadowy look. "It's been three years, and the first thing you do is ask me for a bloody _favour_? You're out of your damned mind, Yamamoto."

Hibari suppressed a snort with difficulty.

"I need a crew, Gio. You know anybody around who'd like to go on an adventure?"

"Like I said," Giotto replied, crossing his arms. "You're out of your bloody mind."

Yamamoto frowned and bored his eyes into Giotto's, apparently seizing him up. It was creepy how the dark-haired pirate look so carefree and willy at one moment and turn into a malicious, cold-blooded pirate the next. It was very unsettling.

Yamamoto reached into the side of his coat and pulled out a pistol, the same worn-out one that Hibari recognized from the times the man had simply twirled it in his hands or inspected it as they were sailing towards the island. He set it on the table between them and leaned back. Giotto's eyes traveled to the weapon and sucked on the end of his pipe again.

"It's your pistol. Bravo, Yamamoto."

"Yeah, it is, Giotto. Why do you think I'm showing it to you?"

Giotto gave him a bland look. His eyes focused on the firearm, and a moment later, the blue orbs narrowed and slowly began to burn orange. He looked back up at Yamamoto and said quietly, "What are you after, Takeshi?"

Yamamoto leaned in and replied in equal inaudibility, "I've found him, Gio. His crew showed up in the town I was staying in just this evening. I'm not letting him get away again."

Giotto suddenly sat up straighter. "You saw him?"

"No, not him in person, but his ship and his crew. Everybody was there. Colonello, Skull, Mammon, and chances are, the person you're looking for is on board too."

Giotto exhaled heavily, muttering quietly, "Three years…it's been three years…" Then turned his sharp eyes onto Yamamoto again. "Why are you going after him? You know he can't be killed. Why chase after a hopeless battle?"

"I've found…ah, a better reason. I'm willing to gamble my chances on this one."

The blonde did not appearance convinced, but his eyes fell almost automatically on Hibari, and his eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch in surprise. "Who's this?"

Yamamoto cast Hibari a sideways look and said lightly, "He's got some business with that bastard too." Giotto looked mildly annoyed and somewhat insulted at the answer that didn't really answer anything. "You're taking me for a fool again, Yamamoto." The dark-haired pirate shrugged and picked up his pistol. "Maybe, Gio. Depends on your answer for this request of mine."

Giotto closed his eyes for a moment and suddenly looked very tired. It struck Hibari odd that the expression on the blonde's face looked very much like the one Dino had earlier, when he realized that I-pin had been kidnapped. Giotto was looking for somebody too…but who?

"Deal." The blonde said suddenly. "I know some fools who'd go with us. But I want to know what you're after. I need to know how much conviction you're going to put into this. I can't die. I _can't_."

Yamamoto chewed his lip in thought. "Hm…what you'd expect me to want, I suppose. I want my ship back. I want Reborn dead. That's all on my wish list so far." A crooked smile. There was that strange mood change again. Giotto seemed to mull that answer for a second, but then he stood up, the cloak falling around him, and Hibari caught sight of a sword and a dagger in his belt. A Roman number _I_ was tattooed on the back of his right hand. He gave Yamamoto a long-suffering look, like _why am I bothering with this idiot again_, and said simply, "Meet me down at the dock tomorrow morning at sunrise. I'll find a crew for you." He turned to Hibari, and gave him a strange look.

"Giotto," he offered, extending a hand. Hibari shook it without much enthusiasm. The blonde tilted his head, frowning. "What's your name, mate? Have we passed each other by chance before?"

Yamamoto snapped his head in their direction and shot Hibari a warning look, but the raven ignored him and replied frostily, "My surname is Hibari."

Giotto's eyebrows went up, and realization dawned on his face. He turned around to give Yamamoto a withering glare of apparent understanding before letting go of Hibari's hand. "_Willing to gamble_…my arse…" he hissed in malice before tugging his hood up and sweeping away downstairs. Yamamoto chuckled a little, sliding his pistol back into his jacket before saying brightly, "Well, that's problem solved!" Hibari gave him a dry look.

"I'm getting the feeling that you're letting me come for your own personal gain, pirate."

"Is that so, Hibari? Whatever would make you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know," Hibari snarled, slamming a tonfa against the other's throat. "Just a hunch." He applied pressure, and Yamamoto choked a little. "Easy, mate" he rasped, grimacing. "You'll understand soon enough." The raven was so close to him, Yamamoto could easily count his eyelashes and feel the other's breath against his cheek.

At that perfect moment, Dino had finally managed to untangle himself from the women in the pub, staggering upstairs to where Yamamoto and Hibari stood virtually nose-to-nose. "Kyoya! What's going on?" he wheezed. Hibari 'tsked' loudly and drew back.

"You missed the conversation of the year, Bucking Horse," the raven said dryly. "We're getting a crew. Then we're going to set sail and bite some herbivores to death. I'm getting a room. I need to sleep."

"What?" Dino spluttered in confusion. Yamamoto chuckled lightly and said, "We set sail at dawn. Don't sleep in, Cavallone."

Leaving the blonde man standing by himself on the second floor, Yamamoto casually waltzed his way back down, humming another tuneless melody to himself again. The sounds of the pub and the wild screeching of the rowdy mob turned into nothing but a hazy thought in the back of his head.

Despite Giotto's cold attitude towards him, Yamamoto knew that the blonde would be working in the palm of his hand. He, like Dino and Hibari, were after someone. They all wanted to save the person the cared about. The dark-haired pirate laughed quietly to himself. How blissful, to sail to your loved one's rescue! His unlikely crew members were using him as much as he was using them to get what he wanted…but Yamamoto wasn't a fool. He knew that he had one final shot. He wasn't going to mess it up now. Where he was going, there would be no such thing as parley anymore.

* * *

><p><em>(1) Jacob's Ladder: a rope ladder used to climb up the side of a ship.<em>

_(2) Duffle: Everything a sailor owns._

Guesses to who Giotto's trying to save aboard Reborn's ship? :'D Yamamoto and the others will be heading off after his nemesis when the sun rises! Hooray! I know it's starting to sound like the first _Pirates_ movie, but I promise, it'll change up a little bit soon :3

Thank you for reading! Comments often revive me from lack of motivation and keeps writer's block away (wink wink). Chapter Four won't be long, promise~

-BlackStar


	4. Chapter 4

Thieves and Beggars

Herp Derp. That's all. Here's Chapter Four. We get to meet more awesome people. Some 8018 in this chapter! Very mild, though :3 In fact, I might not even get around to it, ushiushi~ Anyway.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

Sunrise was a quiet affair on Rain Island. The occupants of the pub had not quieted down until very late into the night, and even then, the occasional laughter and screaming could be heard outside or on the floor above. Somewhere along the way, a fight broke out and part of the building had burned down, but Yamamoto was too used to it to care and Dino was more occupied with his own thoughts than to give much reaction other than a squawk of surprise. Hibari slept through it all.

Giotto had been nowhere to be seen after his conversation with Yamamoto and Hibari, but the dark-haired pirate was quick to contradict Dino in saying that there was no way the blonde would abandon them. He was too close to his own goal to have any misgivings now, just like Yamamoto. So the night had passed on rather uneventfully for them, save for finding a nest of rats under Dino's pillow and a drunken couple accidentally stumbling into their room thinking it was theirs. The argument was quickly taken care of courtesy of Hibari's tonfas.

So, it was in the hazy morning fog that the trio trudged along the gravel road leading down to the port, not exactly sorry to turn their backs on the pub. Yamamoto had brought a small amount provisions such as fruits, dried meat, canned goods and a crate of rum from the hung-over bartender before they left. It was a little difficult trying to walk down to their rowboat balancing their things without stepping on some passed out bloke on the ground, but he managed. When they finally reached the dock, there was a small group of people waiting by the end. One of them was a familiar man wrapped in a cloak.

"Ahoy, mate." Yamamoto said cheerfully, rather out of place with the mood. "What've you got for me, Gio?"

Giotto gestured to the pirates all clustered together. "Here are the men I managed to recruit during the night. Some I know, others are new faces. Introduce yourselves to the captain," he called over to the men, who straightened themselves a little and glanced at Yamamoto, seizing him up or squinting blearily, trying to focus in the early hour.

"Name's Gokudera," a tall, silver-haired man with green eyes grunted, stepping forth. "I'm not much of a sailor, but you can leave you cannons up to me. They'll be in good hands."

Yamamoto nodded in acknowledgment, turning to the rest of the group. Gokudera slouched back, lighting up a cigarette. Another silver-haired pirate came up to Yamamoto, but he was very different from the other silverette. His hair was cut so short it was barely a thin layer of fuzz on his head, he had a thick scar above his left eyebrow and there was a funny bandage on his nose.

"Ahoy, cap'n! Ryohei, at your service!"

Yamamoto nodded, shaking hands with the other. This guy was also a lot louder. Dino winced, rubbing his ringing ears. A scrawny-looking boy spoke up next, his face half hidden by a mop of unruly black hair. He wore a strange cow print vest. "I'm Lambo, captain."

"Eh, not very aggressive, are you?" Yamamoto said brightly, clapping Lambo on the shoulder and nearly knocking him backwards off the dock and into the water. "Well, no matter, who's next?"

The last pirate came forth with a small smile. He was by far the most eccentric of the lot. His hair was the colour of the sea, both a little black and blue. It was cut oddly in the back, so a tuft of hair stood up in a way that resembled the pineapple Yamamoto was holding. His face was thin like Giotto's and Hibari's; he had pierced ears and an eye patch covering his right eye. The young man extended his hand to Yamamoto, introducing himself. Though it was barely visible under his long sleeve, the scar of the familiar _P_ was branded onto his arm too. "My name's Mukuro, cap'n. It's a pleasure."

Yamamoto quirked an eyebrow and shook the pirate's hand, but Dino let out a gasp of recognition.

"_Mukuro_? You were one of the inmates that escaped the mass execution three months ago in Port Nami!"

Mukuro looked a little surprised, but understanding crossed his face when his eye fell onto Dino's tattooed arm. "Bucking Horse? You're a Cavallone, aren't you?" he said a little viciously, grinning. "The East India Trading Company's and the navy's biggest supporter. Exactly what are you doing here, little heir?"

Dino glared. "That's none of your business. There's still a warrant issued for your arrest! It was probably you who let the rest of the prisoners escape and destroyed the enitre prison too!"

"Not true," Yamamoto interjected suddenly, already passing the food he'd brought over to Lambo so that the young boy could load their supplies onto one of their rowboats. "I was the one who caused that explosion."

Dino spluttered in shock and Mukuro actually looked impressed. "My gratitude, cap'n. But why were you be there as well?"

Yamamoto shrugged, ignoring Dino's stutters of rage. "Bad timing, that's all. We'd better move along, mates. The sun's starting to rise."

True enough, there was a dull yellow glow starting to pierce through the fog covering the island. They finished securing the crate of rum onto the rowboat and organized the crew into each one. Gokudera and Ryohei would take the boat with the provisions, and the rest of them would follow in another 'borrowed' dinghy. The trip back out to the _Vongola_ was mostly in silence as well, due to Dino being in dilemma about who to glare savagely at and Hibari being still too sleepy to care. Giotto was quiet, like always, and Lambo was far too shy. Mukuro was humming.

They boarded the ship, and immediately the new crew began combing through the premises, helping Yamamoto throw out most of the 'useless' military decorations and unfurling the sails properly. The mist was lifting now, and sounds of life were also starting to return to the island.

"Just so we're in the clear, you do know where we're headed, don't you, mates?" Yamamoto called from behind the wheel. The crew stopped to look at their captain.

"Isle de Muerta. The island of the dead," Mukuro replied matter-of-factly, like he often sailed to cursed islands for the holiday. Yamamoto nodded brightly and said, "Well, I'm sure we're all savvy with this being one of the most dangerous journeys ever to be undertaken?"

Gokudera shrugged with indifference. Lambo quaked with fear, but that may have been because a large spider was crawling up his arm. Yamamoto surveyed them with a serious expression for a moment, and then broken into his usual carefree-grin and said to Giotto, "You chose a good crew, Gio."

The blonde gave him his usual apathetic look. "I always know what's best, Yamamoto." Then he rolled a statue of the Governor off the edge of the deck and let it fall into the sea with a splash. Yamamoto followed the blonde's movement with a far-off expression on his face.

"What's best, eh…"

Hibari climbed down from the rail, watching the dark-haired man curiously. The raven was of virtually no help since he'd never been on a ship his whole life, so he often found himself simply watching the captain at work, picking up habits and skills here and there. Fortunately, Dino had showed him how to tie a couple of knots the night before and he was able to properly hoist the smaller sails now. Yamamoto was consulting his broken compass again, and this time, he didn't seem to really understand what the spinning needle was doing. To the raven's surprise, Yamamoto suddenly turned around and held the compass out to him.

"Hibari, do me a favour and hold it for a moment, will you?"

Bemused, Hibari reached out to hold the box in the palm of his hand for the pirate. It was heavier than it looked and was smooth to the touch. But the moment the compass touched Hibari's hand, the needle stopped its wild swings and froze in one spot, pointing in the direction of the west.

"Why did it stop—"

"Ah, so that's where we'll be headed!" Yamamoto said brightly, snatching the compass off Hibari's palm. The needle began whizzing in circles again. "Men, we're sailing towards the west!"

"Wait," Hibari interrupted, grabbing Yamamoto's arm. "What's with that compass of yours? It's doing weird things."

"It's working perfectly fine." Yamamoto informed the raven brightly, actually pinching the shorter man's cheek. "Stop worrying so much!"

It took a moment for the shock to sink in before Hibari suddenly whipped out his tonfas and slammed them into the back of Yamamoto's head, smashing his face forwards into the binnacle _(1)_. Cussing loudly, Yamamoto barely had time to catch his breath before the raven grabbed him by the back of his shirt and dragged him down into the Captain's quarters, much to the crew's amusement.

"You're not making any sense, herbivore." Hibari snapped irritably, throwing Yamamoto down on the floor and glaring at him. "I refuse to co-operate with you if I don't know what your plans are, or what your tricks are on this ship."

"Maa, maa, Hibari…is this any way to treat the Captain?" Yamamoto laughed, wiping blood off his nose. The raven scowled and held out his tonfas. "_Talk_."

"I was straight with you from the start." Yamamoto said. "We're sailing to Isle de Muta, you and the Cavallone save your damsel in distress, I get my ship back, I nail Reborn with my bullet, Giotto saves his…and the crew does whatever they like, we sail back home, part in merry greeting, and whoop de doo. Adventure over."

"You're doing it again," Hibari said angrily. "You're talking in circles."

"I'm most certainly not, mate."

"Who does that Giotto herbivore want to save?"

"Nobody, he's in it for the treasure, why?"

"The treasure's cursed."

"It is indeed."

"You already know Giotto. He's obviously been with you to the island before."

"Maybe. We've been mates for a long time, you know."

"He's _obviously_ not in it for the treasure."

"Well, then, maybe he's in it for the lovely sense of adventure!"

"You lied again."

"I'm not lying."

"What's wrong with your compass?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. It's doing its job perfectly."

"It doesn't point North, your arse."

Yamamoto gave him a funny look. "Who said compasses need to point North?"

Hibari let out an exasperated noise and smashed his tonfa through the side of a bookshelf. "You're the world's single most _terrible pirate I've ever met in my life!_ I'll bite you to death!" He launched himself at the pirate, but Yamamoto grabbed a giant chessboard off the coffee table on the side and blocked the tonfa. Hibari retaliated, swinging his other one out to the side, but Yamamoto managed to deflect it with his dagger and sent both weapons sliding across the room.

"Hey, hey, take it easy," Yamamoto said, suddenly serious. He threw Hibari off him and managed to get the raven in an arm lock to make sure the other tonfa wouldn't hit him. "I've got a lot of things to do, mate, and no offence, but it doesn't include getting bitten to death by you. If you insist on getting into a fight with me, don't expect me to back out of it quick, savvy?" Hibari huffed and kicked out, catching Yamamoto in the stomach and made the other loosen his grip. The tonfa struck again, and this time, Yamamoto pulled his pistol out of his jacket, aiming it at Hibari's forehead. The raven scoffed.

"And how exactly are you going to fight with unprepared weapons?" he growled. "Good luck trying to hit your opponent with one bullet, you incompetent freak."

"One bullet?" Yamamoto asked, blinking. Hibari gave him a dry look. "Don't even bother denying it, moron. Your pistol is practically useless. Who keeps only one bullet in? You wouldn't be able to hit that cow print herbivore, much less me, even at this distance."

Yamamoto's expression darkened. "This shot is not meant for you, Hibari."

"What?"

Yamamoto jerked the weapon back, a scary expression crossing his face for a moment, but then held up the compass and opened the lid. The arrow was still spinning in every direction. "This," the dark-haired pirate said, "Is not a normal compass. Compasses point in the direction you want to go, right? That's reasonable. But what if North isn't where you want to go?"

Hibari frowned and lowered his tonfa. What was that idiot talking about? Yamamoto closed the lid and tossed the little black box to Hibari, who caught it and opened it. The needle was now firmly pointing west.

"This compass," Yamamoto said quietly, "Points to what you want the most. You're heart's desire. Only the sailor who wants to navigate north will be able to see the needle point in that direction. Otherwise…it'll only show you which way you need to set sail."

"And I want to find I-pin…" Hibari said slowly, trailing off. Yamamoto shrugged. "Chances are the _Black Sun_ is heading west. That's probably where the island of the dead is as well. The general direction anyway."

"Why wasn't it working for you?" Hibari asked, throwing it back at the pirate. Yamamoto lifted his shoulders again. "Who knows? My thoughts get clouded easily." Hibari snorted and turned on his heel to leave the room. Yamamoto sighed a little and climbed out after the raven, letting the wind whip his hair back as the _Vongola_ finally started sailing. Back behind the wheel, the dark-haired man opened the lid of his compass one more time, just to check. To his surprise, the arrow that spun like a wobbling top every time he opened the lid was motionless this time, just like it had for the violent Japanese.

It was pointing firmly between East and North, but still too off to be Northeast. Glancing in the general direction, Yamamoto raised any eyebrow when he saw none other than Hibari sitting on the rail of the ship as it coasted along the waves, right where the needle was directing. For a man who'd been cursed by an immortal treasure and could never touch the sea, the raven was finally looking at better ease than Yamamoto had seen him before. Perhaps the freedom amongst the waves really did run in that family's blood. The captain consulted his compass again, just to make sure.

Still stuck on Northeast. _The needle points to what you want the most_.

Yamamoto gave a dry chuckle and snapped it shut. Hibari was right; he wasn't being honest at all. "Don't make me laugh…" he murmured to himself. The _Vongola_ creaked in response as the ship plowed on through the waves, drifting west and vanishing silently into the obscuring mist.

* * *

><p><em>(1) Binnacle: a box or case that houses a real compass on deck. <em>

So…I know pretty much nothing happened at all in this chapter ^^" ah, but I wanted an 8018 moment, so I rolled around in fluff for a little bit before making up whatever I wanted. In any case! Next chapter shall come out soon, and I promise there'll be a little more adventure than this one :D Until then~

Thank you for reading! Please comment and give your opinion on how I'm doing so far~

-BlackStar


	5. Chapter 5

Thieves and Beggars

I have nothing to say except I'm hungry for chow mein. Pew pew!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Five<p>

For three days, nothing happened, which was very unnerving. After all the action they've been through thus far, it was a little difficult to get used to the quiet and boredom of sailing day after day. Reborn's ship was obviously much further away due to an entire day's head start, assuming they didn't stop somewhere along the way. The crew of the _Vongola_ continued to sail west. Yamamoto was insistent on that. The compass, he said plainly, would never be wrong.

On the fourth day, a storm struck.

The clouds literally blew in from nowhere, and within minutes, the rain was pouring down on the ship, the lightning was flashing and the thunder was rolling like drums. The sea turned into a vicious beast, rocking the _Vongola_ up and down, tossing it all over the place like it was a rag doll.

"Man the starboard!" Yamamoto bellowed, spitting water out of his mouth as the ship pitched into the air again, then sinking down with a giant splash that soaked everybody. "Keep your eye on the sails!"

"We won't hold very long if this keeps up, Yamamoto!" Dino yelled, slipping on the deck. "This ship's not built for endurance!"

Yamamoto cussed loudly, whipping his hat off and pouring water out of the brim. "Keep her steady," the dark-haired pirate insisted. "We have to keep sailing this way." Dino shook his head, but left the argument to run over and help Lambo secure the canons on the deck. Gokudera was somewhere under in the hull, also securing the gunpowder and their provisions. Ryohei, Mukuro, Giotto and Hibari were all staggering through the rain and wind, trying to pull down their sails so some of them wouldn't rip. Yamamoto had to admire the raven's courage. If he hadn't known the young man, he would never have thought Hibari was frightened of the sea.

But the storm wasn't letting up. In fact, the longer they sailed, the worst the weather got. Twice Yamamoto pulled Hibari over to hold the compass again, and twice he found they were sailing too far off course. It wasn't long before the _Vongola_ began creaking and groaning, the wood under massive strain from the ocean's merciless torture.

"Captain!" Mukuro shouted to him from the crow's nest (why he was up there in this weather, Yamamoto had no idea) "We should direct ourselves out of this storm before the ship gives out!"

Yamamoto opened his mouth to respond, but his words were lost as another giant wave crashed down upon them and sent the _Vongola_ tilting on its left. The crew yelped and made a grab for anything anchored to the deck as the entire ship tipped on its side, almost turning over, and it was in that moment, Yamamoto saw it for the second time in his life.

A long, weather-beaten stone was jutting almost twelve feet out of the sea, completely out of place and completely recognizable. Yamamoto paled. The ship was so close, the dark-haired pirate could see the mystical markings on the rounded, chipped stone. It was a miracle they didn't crash into it. But if _that _stone was here, then that means…

"Unfurl the sails!" Yamamoto roared, sliding on the wet surface of the ship to lunge at the wheel. "We're going to bank hard to the left! Don't let the Fo'c's'le _(1)_ hit anything!"

"You're mad!" Dino yelled back. "They'll be torn to shreds!"

"Do what I say if you don't want to end up at the bottom of the sea!" Yamamoto retorted, gripping the wheel as hard as he could. Dino hesitated, but ran after Lambo and Mukuro to help open up the sails they had just finished tying. Giotto threw a length of rope up towards Yamamoto so that the captain could tie himself to the railing to avoid being washed off the ship.

"Is this the place you were talking about before? _That_ cave?" he called over the noise. Yamamoto shook his head in response. "Aye, mate, if I'm not mistaken." The blonde huffed and slipped a little, sending a last shout over his shoulder to Yamamoto. "You and your ridiculous theories! If we die, I'll murder you!" and with those words he was gone, and Hibari had stumbled onto the platform, grabbing the wheel to steady himself.

"What are we doing, herbivore?" he shouted over the wind.

"Finding shelter," Yamamoto ground out. "Unless I'm in the wrong, there is one way out of this storm other than dying a watery death."

The ship swayed, and for the second time, it swung past another giant twelve foot tall rock, which appeared out of nowhere again, this time to the right, which clipped the railing with a sharp snap. Hibari stared. "What _is _that?"

"Spirit stones!" Yamamoto yelled back. "Help me turn the wheel! There's one more ahead, dead center!"

"How do you know?"

"I've been here before, mate," the pirate said, a grim smile gracing his features. "If the Fates be on our side, we'll make it out of this one alive."

"Look out!" Ryohei bellowed from the front of the ship. The last rock had finally come into view, and it was nearly twice as big as the other two, and very much in the ship's course. "Pull back!" Gokudera roared. "We'll be smashed into pieces!"

"Nay, belay that!" Yamamoto barked. "Let her run straight and true!"

"You'll doom us all!" Dino cried, but Yamamoto shook his head and jerked the wheel hard to his right, struggling. It was nearly impossible to turn it in the right direction. Suddenly, Hibari threw himself on top of the giant wheel as well, adding his weight to it to make the ship turn.

"I'm not dying here, pirate!" the raven yelled through gritted teeth. "Hold fast!"

The crew hung onto the ropes and rails for dear life as the _Vongola_ spun in every direction, heading right for the last Spirit Stone, but right before the moment of impact, the ship, miraculously, swerved _right_.

"How…?" Mukuro said in confusion, pushing his wet bangs back out of his face. The answer was presented almost immediately. They were caught in a whirlpool that spun around the rock, which managed to trap the giant ship in its vortex, bringing it right around the stone and diverting its crash course that would have surely killed them all.

The boat wobbled and flew left again, dragged by the current and suddenly sucked off course by a current leading into the mouth of a giant cave that was nonexistent moments ago. "Whoa!" Ryohei yelled. The _Vongola_ scraped against the walls, hit the shallow bottom of the cavern and with an almighty splash, dropped of a short waterfall and bumped against the sea floor before managing to smoothly sail into the grotto. The sounds of the storm were lost in the twists and turns of the cave as the ship was carried by the gentle flow of the waterway into the heart of the fissure.

They came to a halt as the front of the ship bumped against a pattern of stone figures carved into the rocks jutting out of the sea floor. They were shapes of small, rounded spirit-lookalikes, with wide grins and squinting eyes. The crew staggered back onto their feet, huffing and puffing, soaked to the bone. Hibari let go of the wheel weakly, wiping water off his face.

"How thrilling," he said dryly. Yamamoto chuckled. "Indeed," he replied. "It gets more exciting each time I come."

The raven shot him a sideways look. "So you've really been here before, herbivore?" He was starting to wonder where Yamamoto _hadn't_ been. The dark-haired pirate opened his mouth to answer, but he stopped when he caught sight of three figures standing by the edge of the waters several feet away.

"Ah," he said softly, removing his hat respectfully. "Madams."

The crew spun around to look, quite confused.

There were three women standing by the shore. Or, to be more correct, two women, one in her forties, another in her late twenties, and a young girl about seven years old. The eldest woman and the girl both wore strange, stuffed hats, complicated toga-like dresses and shawls, and stone necklaces that flashed different colours. The woman in her twenties was dressed in a more simple type of dress that ended below her knee, only had a rounded pendant hanging on a long silver chain, and had long, shoulder length black hair, unlike the other two, whose hair was cut short into apple bobs. All their clothes were white, which made it look as though they were glowing in the dim light of the grotto. The oldest woman walked forward, smiling at Yamamoto.

"Welcome back, Captain Yamamoto. It's rare for us to receive the same visitor twice, much less the same visitor with a _crew_ accompanying them this time."

"Well, what can I say? I'm a special man, Luce." Yamamoto said brightly. "I'd hate to throw myself upon your hands, but there is quite the nasty storm brewing outside, and we're hoping for no more than a moment's worth of your time here."

The woman called Luce smiled knowingly and stepped back, gesturing towards a narrow path leading into the giant cave where the light reflected by the water did not reach. "Be my guest," she replied. The other woman said nothing, but the little girl waved cheerfully at the pirates on board. Yamamoto was the only one who waved back.

The crew clambered off the _Vongola_, landing with loud splashes into the waist-deep water and waded forwards to the land. When they finally arrived on shore, the younger woman silently handed Yamamoto a large stone the size of a plate and began walking towards the path between the walls. Luce and the little girl followed.

Once they stumbled into the inky darkness of the path covered by the sloping ceiling of the cave, it was evident what those stones were for. The moment the light from the waters became scarce, they began to glow a clear, cool blue, which reflected off the smooth sides and lit up the entire space with the calm light.

"What is this?" Gokudera muttered to Yamamoto. "Witchcraft?"

Yamamoto laughed. "Nothing of the sort, mate!" he said merrily. "You'll see eventually."

They walked in silence for a little while, before the path began to incline slightly, leading up to a small spot of light in the distance. The three women and the crew soon ducked into an open hollow underground, which was about the dimension of a medium- sized cove that could dock several ships the size of the _Vongola_. Stalagmites hung from the ceiling and there were small pools of water that glowed the same colour as the stone in Yamamoto's hands. Strange, exotic plants grew along the wall and the floor of the cavern, but a stone path had been cleared. It led right up to a giant gnarled tree growing underground. There was a carved opening at the base of the tree, and there were square-shaped holes that resembled windows along its body. Candles illuminated the interior with a warm, orange light.

"Welcome, travelers," Luce said, pushing open a roughly hewn wooden door. "You're welcome to sit wherever you like."

The pirates entered the dwelling after their captain. The entrance was so low that they all had to duck, and Giotto, who was the tallest, had to stoop entirely to avoid hitting his head. The inside of the tree was rounded and much bigger than it appeared on the outside. A long wooden table stood at the center of the room with many carved chairs set up around it. A set of steps nailed into the tree led to the upper floors, where the sounds of birds could be heard. There were tables and desks crowded around them, all holding objects like scented candles, stones, herbs, small shells, string, powdery substances and potted plants. Wind chimes tinkled in the non-existent breeze, playing its own unique melody. Luce vanished up the steps and came back down moments later as the crew was settling into their chairs with a giant tray of fruits, dried beef, salted pork and several tankards of rum. She smiled at them and passed the food around.

"I see that you're on an adventure again, Yamamoto," Luce said, settling down at the head of the table. The woman and the girl sat by her side, the three of them easily fitting together on the end of the gigantic piece of furniture. The dark-haired pirate laughed and chewed on a pineapply-looking fruit. "In some sense, yes."

The younger woman tilted her head at him. "Even after experiencing the truth?"

Yamamoto munched thoughtfully, regarding the woman with a composed expression, as though he was deciding how to answer her in words that she could understand. "Yes, Aria, I see no reason to dwell on prophecies once they've been said and fulfilled."

The woman—Aria—frowned a little at him, but didn't reprimand Yamamoto's remark. Instead, she leaned back and said quietly, "I sense that the future of this crew is more complicated than it seems."

"What do you mean?" Dino asked.

Aria cast her dark eyes on him. "This journey you are about to embark has many twists and turns that even we cannot predict."

"Belay that," Mukuro said suddenly. "Did you say that you _predict_? That's a strange way to put your perspective in place. In any sense, I'm sensing that you're not really human, am I right?"

The little girl beamed up at Mukuro. "That is correct, Rokudo! I, Uni, Aria, and Luce are the Fates! We predict the future of those who cross our paths, though no man has ever been able to find us twice! However, Uncle Yamamoto has been special enough to be able to see us again!" She clapped her hands and giggled lightly.

Upon little Uni's words, Gokudera choked loudly on his drink, Ryohei gasped and Mukuro's eyes narrowed immediately.

"The Fates?" the blue-haired man questioned. "As in, the Three Tellers? The Prophets of the Seas? The White Women?"

"That is us," Luce said kindly. "You must forgive Uni for speaking your name with such familiarity. We've always told her to call others by their name, and not by nicknames, and she didn't mean to offend you at all."

Mukuro's frown deepened, but he shook his head. "None taken, milady. However, I won't lie. I don't trust you three at all."

"We are not asking you to," Aria said. "But we only speak of the truth for the travelers who come upon us."

"Will you tell us a prophecy then?" Giotto asked suddenly. All eyes turned on him. Several people, mainly Dino, Mukuro, and Yamamoto shook their heads very slightly at the blonde in silent warning, but Giotto ignored them. Luce regarded him with a long, searching stare.

"You're quite the troubled young man, aren't you?" she asked softly. Giotto shrugged a little. "I'm not so young anymore."

"Ten long years of suffering can make a man look as though they're a hundred years old, Giotto Primo," Aria said, making the blonde stiffen and glare at her. Yamamoto suddenly stood up, a dry smile painted on his face as he said with false lightness, "Well, madams, I'm sure you know what every nook and cranny of the next page of the universe, and you probably even know what I'm about to say next, but perhaps this is not such a good time."

Uni looked up at Yamamoto. "Uncle Yamamoto," she said, "I've got a prophecy for you."

The table was silent. All eyes were trained on the young girl. Even Aria and Luce looked slightly troubled.

"Uni," Aria said slowly, "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive." She replied, folding her hands in front of her. The two elder Fates exchanged looks, but then Aria stood up and chose a bowl from one of the many tables, along with three rounded stones, a crab's claw and a small jug of water. She brought the objects to the table, where Luce picked up the stones and crab claw, cupping her hands around them and began shaking them rhythmically. Aria slowly poured water into the bowl, and Uni took the small basin in her hands and moved it in circles, making the water swirl.

"What are they doing?" Hibari hissed at Yamamoto. The dark-haired pirate looked a little torn, as though he wanted to stop what the three Fates were doing, but couldn't bring himself to do so.

"It's a ritual. They can connect with the elements of the earth and tell the future from what they see."

"Captain, this isn't a good idea." Mukuro muttered. Giotto suddenly turned to look at Yamamoto. "Takeshi," he implored quietly. "Please."

Yamamoto exhaled and downed the rest of his tankard of rum in one go. "Who will you be speaking for?" he questioned the Fates. Luce looked up, shaking the stones and claw rapidly in her hand now. Uni was also spinning the bowl at a very quick pace.

"We usually only speak for three," she said, "but this time, we see _four_." With that, she dropped the three pebbles and the claw on the stone table the instant Uni stopped spinning and splashed the water over everything. Gokudera and Lambo yelped as the scooted backwards away from the water trailing off the edge of the counter. The three Fates pain no attention. They were all staring intently at the scattered objects. There was nothing interesting to see, but suddenly, smoke began to rise from the water, as though it was being heated, and Aria spoke.

"Giotto Primo.

_You shall place your trust twice in blackened hands  
>Sail alongside a liar, a thief, and a friend<br>Cast away misgivings and fight your part  
>Live a new life chosen by the unheard whispers of the heart.<em>"

Giotto looked up, confusion etched on his face, and opened his mouth to ask, but Yamamoto quickly clapped his palm over the blonde's mouth. "Shhh…they're not done yet, mate."

The steam swirled a little, and the crab claw rattled. Luce's eyes snapped to the spirit medium, and she, too, began to speak.

"Dino Cavallone.

_You shall lose what you once held dear  
>Betray what matters and fail to bring a loved one near<br>You shall fight alongside your foes  
>And sail the seas for eternity, naught as traitor but as hero<em>."

The heir blinked, surprised at hearing a prophecy about him and also bemused by the words just been spoken. However, all the pirates in the circle had quickly caught onto one word, _betray_. The silence grew uneasy. The steam was thickening now; the entire room was getting a little stuffy. The crab claw had stilled a little, no longer rattling as loudly as it did before. Then, two of the three stones began to glow a light purple colour.

This time, Uni spoke.

"Kyoya Hibari.

_You will live your life confined to land  
>Chase after reason and the red-cloaked man<br>Lose what you cherish twice and recover only one  
>Claim thy name and water, and curse be undone<em>."

Hibari's fists tightened a little. His eyes never left Uni as she spoke. His prophecy was ominous. Before he could stop himself, Yamamoto had suddenly reached out and covered Hibari's hand with his own, giving it a slight squeeze. The raven stiffened, but to the pirate's tremendous surprise, there was no form of retaliation. But Yamamoto barely had time to reflect upon his victory. The purple stones dimmed, and the last stone, placed in the center of all the objects, was glowing in a light, clear blue. Aria and Luce both exchanged glances, and then their gaze fell to Uni. The young girl was completely focused on the blue stone, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Then, again, she spoke the last prophecy.

"Takeshi Yamamoto.

_You will travel with partners back to the land of the dead  
>One seeks, one cursed, one doomed in the end<br>Fight thrice in the sea and descend to the sands below  
>Reunite strength and love to conquer all foes<em>."

There was a moment of apprehensive silence, and then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the steam vanished as though an invisible wind had blown it out of the tree house/room. The crab claw stilled, the rest of the water ran off the sides of the table, and the stones were black once more. Then, Uni shuddered and fell limply off her stool..

"Whoa!" Ryohei yelped. "Is she okay?"

Luce smiled at him as Aria lifted Uni up from the floor and began to carry her up the makeshift stairs. "She'll be alright, young pirate. She's only tired from making two important prophecies so quickly."

"Give her my thanks, Luce." Yamamoto said, tipping his hat to her, a strained smile on his face. "Has the storm settled yet?"

Luce tilted her head, as though listening, and then nodded kindly. "The storm has indeed passed, Captain Yamamoto. You are free to set sail without the ocean's rage biting at your tail."

Yamamoto nodded and picked up his stash, readjusting his belt. "Move out, men," he said. "We've got to set sail now."

The crew members did not question Yamamoto, but they were cautions as they maneuvered out of the room and back into the dome. Giotto and Dino were both lost in silence, pondering their own prophecies. Yamamoto waved a cheery goodbye to the Fates.

"It's been a pleasure, Luce. Hopefully, I won't see you again for some time." He said cheekily, bowing to her. Luce only smiled warmly back.

"Good luck on your journey, Pirate Lord. You know the way out."

"Aye."

With that, the door of the tree closed shut with a gentle snap.

The crew stumbled back down the tunnel. It was too dark since they had not taken a glowing stone with them, and the measly light of their matches did no good at all. After a moment of tripping on the uneven ground, slipping on wet stones and cussing loudly, the crew finally staggered out to the shore where the _Vongola_ was still docked.

"Home sweet home," Yamamoto said a little sarcastically as he led them all back to their stolen fleet. "I suppose that's enough predictions to last a while. All aboard, men! Set her down the tunnel to your left!"

It felt a lot better falling back into the routine of heaving ropes, unfurling sails and raising the anchor. As the ship began to follow the current guiding them out of the cave, Yamamoto could tell that many of his men were not unhappy to be leaving the dwelling and the Fates behind. But the women's predictions had left an impact on them all, especially Giotto, Dino, and Hibari. Yamamoto pursed his lips and left Lambo in charge of the wheel as he sauntered over to where the three were on the deck.

"Listen, mates," he said quietly. "Prophecies often have double-ended meanings, so even if one line sounds completely direct and straightforward, chances are, it'll be the line that turns out most crooked in the end. Don't give it much though, or else you'll lose yourself in your mind." Tapping his head smartly, Yamamoto started to walk off again, but suddenly, Hibari grabbed him by the back of his coat and dragged him into the Captain's quarters once again.

"Liking our one-on-one chats, are we, Hibari?" Yamamoto said, grinning as he straightened his hat and the raven slammed the door shut behind him with a vicious kick. Hibari sent him an annoyed glare.

"I'm enjoying nothing of the sort, herbivore, but you've met the Fates before. You've received a prophecy too. I want you to tell me exactly how accurate those women were."

"Who said I got a prophecy?"

"That herbivore woman said to you, 'Even after experiencing the truth.' A prophecy had come true once for you. What I want to know is how much of their rubbish is real."

"Wouldn't be rubbish if it wasn't real, mate." Yamamoto said in all seriousness, tugging his hat over his eyes. Hibari stalked up to him, grabbing Yamamoto by the collar of his shirt and leaned dangerously close to his face.

"_Tell me now_."

Yamamoto gave him a searching look, then shrugged and scratched his chin. "I came across the Fates ten years ago. It was by chance, because I was caught in a storm much like the one we just escaped from. My boat, which only had me in it, was tossed into this cavern and I met the three of them. They gave me shelter, some food, and a prophecy I wish I'd never heard."

Yamamoto took his hat off now, dusting it absentmindedly. Hibari stepped back, listening.

"You see mate, when you hear a prophecy, you already know that it will not be as literal as it says, because you've taken a look at the future. And the future will change _because_ you've taken a look at it. That's why it's no good trying to decipher one. You'll only end up running in circles, getting nothing out of that rubbish. It's best to let the universe run its own course, aye."

"So you're saying that I should forget everything those herbivores said?" Hibari asked, crossing his arms.

"Yes and no. Fates are not a force of nature to be messed with, and if they tell you something like this, it's best to keep it somewhere close, mate. Maybe not over ye heart, but in your back pocket, let's say."

A pause.

"If you want to know the prophecy I got ten years ago, I'll tell you that I know for sure it's fulfilled itself."

"How would you know? You were just saying it was impossible to solve one."

Yamamoto tilted his head, thinking a little, as though recalling a memory, and then looked right into Hibari's burning onyx eyes.

"_You shall set sail west with a gift a goddess sent, lose a brother and a friend to a traitor in the end. Fail to recover what you desire with dying breath, but save yourself from a fate worse than death._ This was the prophecy I was given by the Fates, and I can tell you how every single one of those lines have been completed. My goal was Isle de Muerta, the exact same goal we have. I'd heard of the Treasure of the Seven Seas, which will grant you immortality and control over all the oceans. I sailed with a crew just like the one we have now. Those landlubbers would be the three we ran into on the beach back at the cove; Colonello, Mammon, and Skull. Reborn was my first mate. Giotto was also with us, and another…friend of his. There was also another sailor who took the journey with us. I sailed with the gift given to me by a goddess, which was vitally important for us to reach the island. However, I shared my directions and plans with Reborn, who turned the entire crew on me. A fight broke out, and I was thrown overboard into the Shark's Bay, which was an island still some distance from the Isle de Muerta. I would have drowned, but I was lucky, and the waters propelled me to the shores. I survived for a week and managed to hitch a ride back on a smuggler's boat, and when I came back, I made it to Rain Island. There, I found Giotto drowning himself in a rum runner's dream _(2)_, completely out of it."

"He's your enemy then." Hibari said, eyes narrowing. "Why didn't you kill him?"

Yamamoto shrugged. "I learned something very important from Giotto. Reborn had stolen the treasure and spent it all, but he'd been cursed. Giotto and his friend, having taken none of the treasure, were not affected by the curse, but as they tried to escape from the crew after learning their wicked intentions, Reborn hunted them down and managed to capture one of them. Giotto was the only one who escaped, and guilt had been tormenting him since. The winds on Reborn's sailings went cold after that, but then I heard a gossip in a town almost six years later. The _Black Sun_ sailed into a seaside settlement and ransacked it, taking with them a lone prisoner, and that was when I learned that Giotto was not the only one who escaped from Reborn. The other sailor had managed to vanish from Reborn's clutches until the pirate finally caught up with him again. Reborn had spent three years collecting and returning the treasure, but he had been unable to reverse his curse because one was still missing. It was the sailor who had taken one piece of the treasure with him, but by the time Reborn caught up, the piece was gone. The sailor no longer had it, and in the end, he, too, was thrown off the ship by the Pirate Lord. Since then, Reborn's been sailing all over the globe, trying to locate the last piece. I've been chasing his coattails, trying to find the last piece before_ he _did. Fortunately, I've accomplished that goal."

"You knew I was the son of the traitor on Reborn's ship when I fell into the harbor at Port Cavallone." Hibari said flatly.

"Aye."

"So you knew my father? How did Reborn know where to find me? Or better yet, how did he sail to the cove so quickly?"

"Fair question, mate. The first thing is, though, I _don't_ know your father. Giotto gathered the crew for us, and I never once paid attention to him. I don't remember him at all. Secondly, Reborn's a Pirate Lord. He's familiar with the ways of the Seas and the spirits within the waves, so he's got all sorts methods to travel, so long as it's in the ocean. Also; because they've been cursed by the treasure, him and all of his crew have a bond with it. They can hear it…the treasure _calls_ out to them. The moment you touch the water, mate, he'll know right where you are."

"So, I shouldn't touch the sea." Hibari said flatly. Yamamoto nodded. "_Oui, mon cher_."

"What did you just say?"

"Ah, nothing, just a little French line I picked up here and there."

Hibari's eyes narrowed suspiciously as though he was picking up a dishonesty factor somewhere in Yamamoto's lines. "You're an idiot. Don't think I forgot the little stunt you pulled in that tree house. You'll pay for that later."

"What, this?" Yamamoto asked cheekily, reaching out to grab Hibari's hand in his own calloused one. The raven blinked in surprise, then his cheeks reddened ever so slightly and he spluttered in rage.

"Herbivore! Don't touch me!"

Yamamoto tugged hard on the other's hand and pulled him right up against the Pirate Lord, hugging Hibari tightly. "Don't lie," he said quietly. "You were scared in there. I know it. I've felt that same uncertainty, the same fear, the same confusion the last time I was in that tree house alone with those Fates. The same feeling of wondering exactly which part of your prophecy will come true."

Hibari froze for a moment, brain trying to catch up with the fact that Yamamoto was _hugging_ him and the fact that the pirate had just stated everything that was running inside his head at the very moment, and then he shoved Yamamoto off of him and punched the taller man in the gut.

"Don't you _dare_ assume such nonsense again!"

Yamamoto chuckled weakly, rubbing his torso as Hibari turned and walked out of the Captain's quarters, slamming the door shut once more. "Damn, what a temper."

He barely had a moment to catch his breath when Gokudera called for him from the deck. "Cap'n! We need ye compass for the direction to set our sails in!"

Coughing a little, Yamamoto staggered out of the room, glancing around. The exit to the cave was already vanishing in the heavy mist surrounding the area, but there was warm sunlight peeking through the scattering clouds. The ocean's surface was calm, and one would never have known there had been a storm. Searching through his pockets for his compass, Yamamoto called out Hibari's name.

"Kyoya!"

The raven turned and caught the small box that came flying his way in his hand, popping open the lid almost reflexively. "West," he called out after the needle stilled. "We're still going west." He shut it with a snap, turned and threw the compass back to Yamamoto before walking over to help Dino tie off the ropes. Yamamoto stowed the object back into his coat pocket, unable to suppress the smallest of smiles. He'd called Hibari _Kyoya_, and for the first time, it occurred to Yamamoto that somebody's name could actually be quite beautiful.

* * *

><p><em>(1) Fo's'c'le: An abbreviation for forecastle, the forwardmost part of the ship.<br>(2) Rum Runner's Dream: Rum runners are people who illegally transport alcohol and spirits. To say that Giotto was "drowning" himself in a rum runner's dream meant that he was surrounded by liquor and was drinking heavily._

Mon cher: French for _my dear_. Fortunatly for Yamamoto, Hibari does not understand French :'D

Note: Uni calls Yamamoto "Uncle Yamamoto" as a nickname, and not because he's her uncle.

I had the worst writer's block halfway through this chapter, and I actually spammed my friend to make her edit for me –cries— I'm so useless :'D In any case…thoughts? Criticism? I'd love to hear them~ On an unrelated note, I never did get my beef chow mein. –sad face—

Thank you for reading! Comments make me keyboard smash~

-BlackStar


	6. Chapter 6

Thieves and Beggars

Chapter 6

Presenting Chapter Six of _Thieves and Beggars_! I apologize on how late it is… -cries- school wiped me out. In any case…please enjoy ^^

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Six<p>

To say that the tension on board was high would be an understatement. After the near-death experience with the storm and the harrowing visit to the Fates, everybody was stressed, even those who didn't receive a prophecy. Both Ryohei and Gokudera would pace nervously around the deck when they didn't have duties, Mukuro would cast Yamamoto casual 'I told you this was a bad idea' looks, and Lambo had taken a liking to hiding in the hull whenever he wasn't needed. From what the dark-haired pirate lord had also heard, Dino wasn't sleeping well. Giotto and Hibari often looked seasick, even on the calmest waves.

So far, the one who appeared to take the news best was none other than the captain himself.

Yamamoto almost laughed to himself at that thought. _Taking the news best_. Truth be told, he was starting to feel he knew what some of Uni's lines meant, even if he once said prophecies were impossible to fully understand. It was inevitable. Something had to be fulfilled. Sadly, his own prediction didn't seem to have a very pleasant ending.

"Captain! We're passing by an island! Which way now?" Gokudera hollered up to the wheel. Yamamoto snapped himself out of his own thoughts and squinted through the fog at the mass blob of land drifting into focus. It looked like a rounded dome, scarcely any plants save for a thicket of trees and bushes near the center of the island. The waters around it were shallow, but the underwater shelf became obvious by the sudden change in colour about fifty feet away from the island's shores. "Ah…" Yamamoto said suddenly, licking his teeth. He knew this island.

"Keep her going right, gentlemen."

"You don't need to compass' directions?"

Hibari appeared from nowhere behind him, holding a length of rope in his hands and cast Yamamoto a suspicious look. The dark-haired pirate chuckled and ruffled Hibari's hair. "Aye, mate. I know this part of the sea now. We're passing by Shark Island, where that traitorous bastard tossed me overboard to drown. If you look closely, you can see those beasts of the water swimming around our boat already."

Hibari raised an eyebrow and peered over the rail. True to Yamamoto's word, a swarm of sharks were distinctly noticeable several feet beneath the waves.

"The water around this island doesn't have a lot of food sources, yet this area is the only place where the temperatures are suitable for the sharks," Yamamoto said brightly. "You could say they're sort of trapped in this general zone. At any moment where there is unnatural movement in the water, like splashing, they'll swarm in. If there's blood, you can guarantee a shark will come nosing around. Even now, they're trying to pick a fight with the _Vongola_. See how close they're swimming to us? They're testing the boat out."

"You talk like they're so vicious." Hibari said, narrowing his eyes. Yamamoto gave the raven a sideways glance, then a sneaky grin appeared on his face. Before Hibari knew what was happening, the dark-haired pirate had planted a giant, suntanned hand on his chest and pushed the raven backwards, _hard_. Hibari stumbled and nearly fell over the railing, a surprised yelp escaping his mouth. The rope slipped from his hands and fell overboard with a splash as Yamamoto's hand suddenly clenched around Hibari's shirt and the other arm grabbed him around his waist to pull him back upright. Below them, in the sea, there was suddenly a flurry of vicious activity. Three sharks had immediately darted up to snap at the ropes, dragging the hemp-woven lines under water and shredding them to bits before losing interest when they realized it wasn't edible.

"They are pretty angry creatures—oof!" Yamamoto bucked as Hibari punched him hard in the solar plexus, his face livid. "Don't you _dare_ pull that shit with me again!" he hissed, shoving Yamamoto off him. The taller of the two grinned. "Relax, mate, I was only playing with you."

"Don't touch me," Hibari snapped, fixing his shirt. He huffed in annoyance and cast Yamamoto a distasteful look. "How did and idiot like you survive if they'll attack anything that so much moved in the sea?"

"You've got such a mean streak, Hibari," Yamamoto said in mock sadness, making the raven roll his eyes again. "I've got some tricks up my sleeve. The waves were strong enough to propel me to shore before the sharks could catch up."

Hibari gave him a dry look. "You're lying, you bastard. The waters around here are even calmer than the ones at the Port. There's no way a wave would have washed you in and you could have made it without getting eaten."

"Heh heh, maybe I just got lucky then!" Yamamoto laughed, fixing his hat. Hibari scowled heavily. There it was again; that laugh, that grin, that utterly annoying smile that was obviously put up to hide something. It pissed him off to no end.

"You know, it's hard to trust you when you always put that mask on your face," Hibari retorted, crossing his arms. "How do any of us know you wouldn't throw us into the line of fire while you obtain your own goals?"

Yamamoto gave him a funny look. "You don't," he stated, as though he was telling the weather. "You never trust a pirate, mate, whatever gave you the idea that you should believe a word I say? I trusted Reborn, and look where that got me. Aye, it's better to keep certain things to yourself at times."

"This is ridiculous." Hibari said flatly. "The moment I get I-pin back, I'll slaughter you."

"Cruel words, Kyoya."

"What did you call me?"

Yamamoto leaned in until he was nearly nose to nose with the raven. "Kyo-ya," he sung before splitting into a wide grin. Hibari's face darkened like a thundercloud, and was about to punch the living daylights out of the pirate when Giotto suddenly showed up on the deck.

"What are you two doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. Hibari flushed, venting out his anger by punching Yamamoto hard in the gut one last time before walking back down to the hull, growling that the captain had made him drop the rope he was holding into the water. Giotto watched him go, a curious expression on his pale face.

"Where'd you come by a lad like that?" he asked Yamamoto. The dark-haired man paused a little.

"He's not so much a lad. Quite old and quite cranky, if you ask me."

"He looks familiar." Giotto said blankly. "Have I ever seen him before?"

"You've got a funny imagination, mate." Yamamoto said firmly, fixing his hat. "You've a question for me, other than where Hibari came from?"

Giotto frowned, apparently not liking the sudden change of topic. "Yes," he said. "I've got another question. About Reborn."

Yamamoto clicked his tongue. "Go on…"

"What are the chances of him…keeping him…on board with him?" Giotto asked slowly, picking his words carefully. "I mean," he rushed on. "Do you think he'd keep him alive? He tried to kill the both of us, and he's already killed another one of the crew who escaped him, so if that bastard is just that cold hearted, then—"

"You make it sound like I know that scum well, Gio." Yamamoto said flatly. Giotto cringed a little at that.

"I didn't mean—"

"If you don't trust me, which you very well shouldn't, then you should do what you were doing from the very beginning," Yamamoto cut in. "Use me to get to your goal, just like I'm using everybody else. It's an endless loop of traitors and greediness, don't you see? Your _brother_ was just naïve enough to believe that giving himself up would save you from Reborn's wrath."

_Wham_.

For the second time that day, another fist connected with Yamamoto's face, making him stagger back a little. Giotto's face was livid, his blue eyes so cold it could have frozen the sea over, then the blonde spun on his heel and left, making his way back down to the rest of the crew. Yamamoto rubbed his jaw, feeling the sting of the hit linger. His eye caught Hibari's who was staring up at him, the wind ruffling his black hair. Then, the raven glared and turned away too, leaving Yamamoto to scowl and resume his brooding by the wheel.

"Damnation."

* * *

><p>The <em>Black Sun<em> had long sailed past Shark Island when a dark-haired female peeked out from behind the door. I-pin pressed her lips together as she watched the pirates aboard the ship go about their daily work, scrubbing the deck, hauling the lines, organizing their provisions on board or planning out their route to the Isle de Muerta.

_Isle de Muerta_.

What _was_ that place? I-pin had overheard the captain of the ship—Reborn—talking about it to the tall blonde man with a rag around his head and a shorter male with a hooded cape. And there was also something about the curse finally being lifted. There had been many nights of celebration about that. She could easily overheard the wild cheering and laughter of the pirates eating and drinking below deck, and also many choruses of 'Down with that traitor!". And so on, and so forth.

I-pin bit her lip, and closed the door. The ship rocked slightly on another wave, making her stumble a little as she sat back down on the floor. The room was the captain's headquarters, which she had been kept in for the entire trip. It was large but was plainly furnished, and had a lot of maps hung up all over the walls. There was a large oak table in the middle of the cabin, a few chairs and cushions, but hardly anything else. A large, black treasure chest sat in the back of the room with a heavy iron padlock on it.

She hadn't seen Reborn since the captain of the Black Sun had taken one look into her eyes and said calmly, "It's her. _His_ child," and left her in his own headquarters without any more explanation. I-pin had fought viciously against the pirates, but it was hard to hold her ground when she was outnumbered almost fifteen to one. But since the day of the capture roughly three days ago, she hadn't been visited by anybody other than a small male with brown hair who pushed food through the door for her. Escape had been in her mind for a very long time, but I-pin wasn't stupid. She was stuck in the middle of nowhere with a band of bloodthirsty pirates around. It would be near suicide to attempt an escape now. So long as she finds a way to escape before the pirates find that she's no longer of any use, she should be okay. I-pin heaved a sigh and sat down by the window, picking at the loose threads at the hem of her trousers. What was she to do now?

"…and you know exactly how to end this, kora? Are you sure this plan would work?"

I-pin perked up. Voices? A male's voice had come drifting through the small crack window, right above the captain's quarters, right where the wheel was. I-pin scrambled to her feet and stood on tiptoe, leaning towards the glass. Unless she was mistaken, that voice was the blonde pirate's.

"I wasn't aware that I needed to answer to your demands, Colonello."

I-pin gulped. That was Reborn's voice. She pressed closer, desperate to hear more.

"Look where your last plan got us, you arse. I won't stand for something as useless as 'eternal life' again."

"Well, it'll end as soon as we reach the island. We've got who we need."

A pause, then the voice of the hooded pirate came along. "All we need to do is add blood to the casket?"

"Yes, Mammon, that's essentially it."

"You don't care if the traitor's child lives or dies, do you."

A laugh. "Maybe if I'm generous, I'll spare the body for the girl to bury."

I-pin blinked. Spare a body for the _girl_ to bury? As frightening as Reborn's plan sounded, something seemed off. Mammon coughed. "Uh, captain, I do believe it's the girl who's going to be the one being offered up. Unless there was another landlubber involved that I was not aware of."

The ship swayed. I-pin strained to hear over the sound of splashing waves.

"Perhaps. However, in some cases, in order to bring someone close to you, you have to move away from them first."

"Captain…I'm not getting what you're saying." Mammon grumbled. Reborn sighed.

"Say, Mammon, if I stole something from you, what would you do?"

A bark of laughter, and Colonello answered. "He'd come hounding after your arse, obviously, that greedy bastard!"

There was a cuss from Mammon, and Reborn talked over them. "Yes, indeed. You'd chase after the culprit, no? And here's the situation we have. We've taken the girl to Isle de Muerta. Who do you think will come after us?"

"That annoying blonde guy?"

I-pin paled. _No, please, not Dino!_ "Perhaps. But he's not the one we're aiming for. You see, gentlemen…the young lady we've got with us is, in fact, not the one who will set us free. She's not the child of the traitor who was cursed."

There was a moment of silence, both above and below the deck. I-pin couldn't believe what she was hearing. She wasn't the one who was cursed? But wasn't that the reason why they kidnapped her? Who else would it be?

"What are you saying, Reborn?" Mammon asked sharply.

"I'm saying that if we take the girl, someone will come chasing after her. A family member, perhaps. Most likely _another_ child of the traitor. A person guaranteed to want to hunt me down to save his sister." Then, Mammon inhaled sharply.

"The Asian. With Yamamoto. On the beach. I _knew _he looked familiar."

"Correct. By kidnapping his younger sister, we've ensured that Hibari Kyoya, the real cursed child, will come chasing after us. And of course, dragging along that Yamamoto and the Cavallone's son, who's the navy's biggest supporter. You could say it's like killing _three_ birds with one stone."

"Damnation, Reborn. That's the devil's plan you've got there."

"Actually," Reborn said, "now that I think about it, it's possible that there might be a fourth person involved. Another traitor who might come back for a family member as well."

Suddenly, Colonello and Mammon burst into laughter. "Belay that," the blonde said, "you don't think _Giotto_'s going to sail with Yamamoto again? If he does, I'll have a special welcome surprise for him too."

"I wonder," Mammon said, "what would happen if he sees that boy with Reborn on this ship. He's quite the temperamental one when he wants to be."

"Well," Reborn replied, "I supposed I'll have our dear Tsuna prepare for his brother's arrival, nay?"

I-pin drew away from the window, shaking. They'd been tricked. All of them, by that devil of a pirate. Her brother, fiancé, and two of their friends were sailing to their deaths at the very moment. Especially Hibari. _He_ was the cursed child. Reborn used her as bait. Reality came crashing down on the young woman, who clutched at the hem of her shirt as she slid into a sitting position on the floor.

"Kyoya…" I-pin whispered, "What am I going to do?"

There was silence, broken only by the sound of crashing waves as the _Black Sun_ neared the island of the dead.

* * *

><p>A flash of gold. <em>Ping.<em> The coin flipped in the air, then fell back into the waiting palm. _Ping._ Up it went again, tossed lightly into the air and then falling back down to earth. _Ping_.

Yamamoto tossed the coin absentmindedly, swinging in the hammock in the hull. He'd gone off for a nap half an hour ago, leaving Mukuro at the wheel, but he hadn't slept a wink. The coin had been going up and down for as long as he had been awake, flashing every time it caught in the sunlight between the gaps in the floorboard.

He was agitated. He could feel the island. It was close. The waters were not very friendly here. Yamamoto closed his eyes. This trip would haunt him for many years to come. Perhaps it was his strange affiliation with the sea. Or maybe it was because of his parentage. The waters were his home. He could practically taste the cold, bitterness, and evil lurking amongst the waves. He survived this journey once, but would it happen again?

"Captain?" Gokudera stuck his head through the trapdoor. "Captain, we're in the area."

"Aye," Yamamoto said bracingly. "Well, better get started then, shall we?"

The air was chilly and eerily quiet. There was a layer of thick mist hanging around the water's surface, and the waves were so still it was unnatural how silently the _Vongola_ sailed through the sea. Yamamoto walked up to take the wheel from Mukuro. The crew had gathered up on the deck as the ship cautiously cut through the water. Lambo was shivering and Dino wouldn't stop clasping and unclasping his hands out of nerves. Hibari stood still as a statue, eyes narrowed.

Then, suddenly, the _Black Sun _loomed into view through the mist. Gokudera gasped a little and pulled hard on the rudder. The _Vongola _turned just in time to avoid scraping by the large ship that was currently anchored at the mouth of the cave. Yamamoto turned the large wheel in his hands, gazing emotionlessly as they sailed past the boat…the ship that had once been his.

"Captain…where should we go?" Ryohei asked, glancing at Reborn's ship.

"Stay here, all of you. I need to make sure there's a group of you defending the _Vongola_. We'll be in a right spot of trouble if those rats take this ship too." Yamamoto replied.

"I'm coming with you," Giotto, Hibari, and Dino all interrupted at once. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you dare tell me otherwise," Hibari snapped, before Yamamoto could even open his mouth. The dark-haired pirate's mouth quirked upwards in a small grin. "It's your grave, mate."

Moments later, the four were armed and bobbing along on a rowboat, gliding past the _Black Sun_ and into the mouth of the cave. This place was nothing like the Fate's cavern. It was dark, wet, cold, and it smelled of death. The sounds of the water lapping against the stone echoed loudly in the arched space, and an icy breeze wafted in every once a while. Dino played with the hilt of his sword nervously. Hibari sat firmly in the center of the rowboat, staying far away from the edge. Yamamoto and Giotto both rowed slowly ahead.

Before long, the passage opened up to a spacious grotto, where half a dozen rowboats were all lined up along the sandy shore. Yamamoto clicked his tongue.

"They're here," he said quietly.

"Where to?" Dino whispered. "Where would they take I-pin?"

"To the treasure. There's a gold casket that they'll want to drop the blood on to break the curse. We should try and rescue your damsel in distress before any of that happens, though."

Hibari made a growling noise in his throat, gripping his tonfas tightly. Yamamoto raised an eyebrow as they climbed out of the rowboat. "No sense in barging in and ripping everything to shreds, mate. You need to plan this out. One wrong move, and Reborn will have _your_ blood instead."

"My sister's life is on the line, arse," Hibari shot back. "I won't stand for any of your stupid ideas or ridiculous plans anymore."

"Shh!" Giotto hissed. Up ahead, there were the sounds of voices echoing in the cave and torchlight flickering against the walls. The group of four creeped ahead, keeping low against the sides of the passageway and weapons at the ready. The path branched out into two; one led down a steep slope to a giant hollow below, which was currently occupied by Reborn's crew. There were mountains of treasure there. Heaps of gold, armfuls of silver, rare jewels, carved statues, statin cloaks and silk garments, precious gems embedded into crowns and necklaces, and chests overflowing with pearls, sapphires, rubies, and plenty other priceless riches. Pirates weaved in and out of the loot, laughing loudly, tossing coins into the air and going through their war spoils. In the center of the cave, there was a giant gold casket with strange, spidery patterns carved over the lid. There was a circular imprint in the middle of the slinky carvings, and a sinister looking skull stared up at the roof of the grotto.

"Behold!"

Yamamoto twitched at the sound of the familiar voice. A tall, dark-haired pirate with an equally dark hat came into view, pulling along with him a young woman with long black hair. Hibari snarled and started forward, but Yamamoto grabbed him and hauled the raven back. "Not yet," he hissed. "Wait. Don't move."

"The child of the traitor who laid this curse upon us! Here is Hibari Fon's daughter, whose blood _will_ free us from this jinx!"

The pirates roared, and Hibari clenched his fists. Yamamoto pressed his lips in a thin line, eyes never leaving his former first mate and the girl. _Hibari Fon_. It was the first time he'd heard Hibari's father's name. Judging by his expression, it seemed to be Hibari's first time too. Dino stirred restlessly. Giotto craned his neck a little, scanning through the crowd.

"What are you saying?"

A loud, clear, girl's voice cut through the coarse yells of the pirates. Reborn looked down at the young woman standing next to him, flanked by Colonello and Skull. Dino choked quietly. Hibari bit his lip. "I-pin…"

"_My_ blood will free you from the curse? You know that my blood wouldn't, Reborn!" I-pin yelled angrily. "You brought me here so that you could lure the real cursed child to you, right? Well, are they here? How's your plan coming along?"

There was silence from the group of pirates. One of them muttered out loud, "What's the bitch sayin'?"

"Your plan's backfired on you, Reborn!" I-pin snapped. "Sure, maybe they're coming now, sailing right this way, but even if you spill all my blood on this casket, your curse wouldn't move an inch! It's useless! You've tricked your own men. No curse will be lifted."

There were cries of confusion and outrage from the pirates. Reborn stood stock still, his expression stormy. I-pin lifted her chin up and glared him right back down. "My father made the right choice. People like you deserve to be cursed for eternity! And I'll tell you right now, even if the one who'll life the curse arrives now, you'll never get them. I know it. He's strong, and he'll fight. There's no way he'll lose to someone like you! _Go to hell!_"

Reborn grabbed I-pin's neck, and at that moment, there was a flurry of movement. A small, brown haired boy came flying forward, tackled Reborn to the ground and screamed, "RUN!" to I-pin. Hibari, Yamamoto, Dino and Giotto leapt to their feet at once.

"I-pin!" Hibari and Dino bellowed.

"Tsuna!" Giotto yelled.

"You damn bastard, Reborn!" Yamamoto roared, and charged. Behind him, heavy footsteps signaled that his friends were thundering after him, running right into Reborn's crew. The pirates yelled in shock, and some drew their weapons, but the four lashed out and knocked over nearly six of their enemies in one forceful blow. They scattered, Dino and Hibari running right into I-pin, Giotto to the small, brown haired boy, and Yamamoto unsheathed his sword.

"_Reborn!_"

Metal clashed on metal, and Yamamoto was face to face with his worst enemy for the first time in almost nine years.

"Why the devil are you here?" Reborn snarled, throwing Yamamoto off him. The other lunched again, forcing Reborn to parry.

"Seems like we fell into your plan," he snapped. "Hibari I-pin's brother just _couldn't_ sit still when his precious sister was in danger, so we chased after you. And quite frankly, if you think you can kill us, I'd kindly ask you to think again, mate."

"This naïve trust is what doomed you in the first place, Yamamoto," Reborn retorted. "You'll die this time, for real."

"We'll see."

"I think you've forgotten," Reborn sneered. "At the moment, we're still immortal. You—" a wide slash was made "—cannot defeat us."

Words were no longer exchanged between the two pirates, who immediately began to fight against each other, swords clashing as they knocked gold and treasure chests over in their duel. Several torches had fallen onto the floor, where the other expensive garments quickly caught fire. Smoke billowed up, and many of Reborn's men were scattered towards the exit. Dino, Hibari, and I-pin were all currently fighting against the other pirates near the far end of the cave.

"I-pin, are you alright?" Dino yelled as he stabbed an enemy in the chest.

"Never been better, love!" I-pin called back cheerfully as she sent a pirate flying backwards with a well-placed kick. Hibari cussed loudly and rammed his tonfa into the stomach of an advancing bandit.

"I-pin, you need to leave!"

"No! Brother, you're the one who needs to go!" I-pin yelled back firmly. "They're after you! They kidnapped me because they knew you'd come to save me!"

"But you said so before," Hibari said calmly as he moved to stand back to back with his sister. "I won't lose. I'll _never_ lose to these herbivores."

I-pin huffed. "But—"

"It's okay, I-pin," Dino said suddenly. "I'll protect him. I'll protect both of you. I promise that."

Hibari scoffed loudly and Dino kicked him in the shin in retaliation, but all three of them were forced to move backwards when a giant stack of treasure chests was knocked over when the force of Yamamoto's blow broke a pillar in the cave and sent the chests tumbling down from above. Someone bumped against I-pin's shoulder, and she turned to strike only to find herself face to face with Giotto.

"Ahh!" she yelped in surprise. "Tsuna? What happened to your hair?"

"Eh?" Giotto asked blankly, confused. Then, the small brunette popped up from behind the blonde.

"I-pin!" the brunette—Tsuna—said quickly. "Don't hit him, he's my brother!"

"Brother?" Hibari and Dino said together in confusion. I-pin gasped.

"This is who I was coming along to save," Giotto said urgently. "All of you need to get out of here before this place burns down."

"Where is that herbivore?" Hibari snapped, covering his mouth as the smoke continued to fill the cave.

"Up there!" Tsuna cried. High above them, fighting on a small ledge along the side of the cave, was Reborn and Yamamoto, still locked in a fierce duel. Their swords sent sparks flying like fireflies, each holding their ground, until Yamamoto's foot slipped and the dark-haired pirate fell backwards off the ledge. I-pin shrieked as Yamamoto landed right on the casket, splitting the lid in half. The inside of the casket was filled with smooth gold coins, all with the skull and spidery lines etched on the surfaces. Reborn jumped from the ledge and landed right on top of Yamamoto.

"This is what that traitor stole from us," Reborn snarled, stabbing downwards. Yamamoto rolled to the side, barely avoiding being gored. He punched Reborn in the gut, sending the pirate stumbling off the casket and onto the floor of the cave.

"What, he took one of these little coins and doomed you all to eternal life?" Yamamoto sneered. "You're losing your touch, Reborn."

The taller pirate lunged, and Yamamoto quickly blocked the blade. But, as he turned to parry, Reborn seized a large, decorated blade resting amongst the treasure in the cave and drove the tip of the sword straight through Yamamoto's unguarded chest.

Giotto, Tsuna and Dino yelled. I-pin screamed and grabbed at her fiancé's arm. Hibari darted half a step forwards, shouting, "Takeshi!"

Yamamoto staggered back, blinking. He looked down on his chest and stumbled a little. There the sound of stones grinding against each other as part of the ceiling caved in as the old pillars in the grotto fell from the fight earlier, showing the sky. It was nighttime. The mist around Isle de Muerta had created the illusion of daytime before, but the setting of the sun now proved that night had fallen already. Moonlight shone through the gaping hole in the ceiling of the cave, glowing eerily against the hot flames burning against the sides of the cavern.

"Huh," Yamamoto said slowly. "Moonlight, eh?" He stepped back into the pale luminosity, and then, changed. His clothes rotted away, leaving moldy rags hanging off a skeletal frame. His ribs showed through the tears in the shirt, decaying teeth clacked against each other, strips of worn down muscle stretched over his arms and the two long, white bones where his legs were disappeared into a pair of boots. Yamamoto raised his sword, grinning at Reborn. The large sword he had been impaled with earlier was wedged between his ribs, right over his heart, but the organ did not appear to be there. The dark-haired pirate pulled the blade out and tossed it aside, grinning. "That's interesting."

"How…?" Reborn asked slowly, his eyes taking in the image of an undead Yamamoto before him.

Between boney fingers, Yamamoto lifted something into view. A piece of gold flashed brilliantly, its skull imprint and spider web design etched across the surface. Reborn's eyes widened. Giotto sucked in a breath. "When he fell into the casket…" he said in a hushed voice. "He _stole_ a piece of the treasure too?"

The pirate lord grinned again. "Couldn't resist myself, mate." For a split second, his eyes darted over and looked right at Hibari. The raven froze, eyes locked on to the other's skeletal face. Was Yamamoto trying to tell him something?

Then, Reborn lunged. Yamamoto darted backwards and drew his sword again, slashing against his enemy. "What now, Yamamoto Takeshi?" Reborn bellowed. "Two immortal pirates fighting until judgment day, is that what you propose we do?"

"Or you could surrender," Yamamoto responded cheekily, dodging the other's strike.

Hibari blinked. _Immortal. _The curse. The curse made both pirates immortal. Suddenly, it all made sense. Hibari burst into a sudden dash for the casket, scrambling over the piles of overturned gold and treasures. He had to end this now.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yamamoto caught sight of the raven darting towards the casket. Gritting his teeth, the pushed Reborn away from him and whipped out the gold coin, shouting, "Hibari!", and tossed it towards the raven.

"Don't you turn you back on me!" Reborn snarled, raising his sword for a strike, and Yamamoto turned.

_Bang_.

There was silence following the gunshot. Reborn stopped in his tracks, looking down at Yamamoto. "What the devil were you thinking? How many times does it take for you to realize that it won't kill me, Yamamoto?"

"If it didn't before, it will now."

Reborn jerked his head over in the direction of the speaker. Hibari was standing over the casket, a discarded dagger in one hand and the gold piece clenched tightly in the other. Then, the raven let go, and as if in slow motion, the coin fell back into the chest, blood smeared over its side from the cut on Hibari's palm.

Reborn paled. "No.._._" he said slowly. "_Impossible_."

Hibari glared and ripped open his shirt to show the black mark on his chest. "You kidnapped my sister to bring me here, so here I am. _I'm_ the son of the traitor Hibari Fon. _I am_ the cursed child. And now…your curse is lifted, Reborn."

There was a dark red splotch growing on the pirate's chest. Reborn didn't have to look down to know where Yamamoto's bullet had hit. The taller of the two smirked, stumbling forwards to grab at the front of Yamamoto's shirt. "You…devious…bastard…" Then, he fell to the ground, and Reborn moved no more.

The flames climbed high against the cave. Smoke billowed out from the holes in the ceiling. The grotto wouldn't hold out much longer. Yamamoto turned and called out hurriedly, "We've got to move now, mates. It won't be long before—"

He froze.

Hibari turned and stared at the entrance of the cave, certain that he had misheard. Then, it sounded again. A trumpeting foghorn loud enough to wake the dead.

The navy had arrived.

* * *

><p>So. This is chapter six! And I promise chapter seven will not be as long as a wait as this one was! I have a lot of work the upcoming week, so it might be a little while before I post again. But don't worry, I'll be writing in my spare time, like always. I hope the battle scene wasn't too complicated.<p>

Thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated.

-BlackStar


	7. Chapter 7

Thieves and Beggars

Chapter 7

So. I unexpectedly killed Reborn in the previous chapter. I actually wasn't planning on doing that, so I'm not sure why I did it…facepalms. ;^;

But! He could still be saved~ I mean, Barbosa was saved too, and I actually need Reborn in the upcoming chapters. Besides, I never got to expand on his character because I was really focused on Yamamoto's crew, and dropping him out of the story now makes no sense to me. So, I made a huge plot error, but maybe that's the joy of writing. To be spontaneous! Or not. Kufufufu. Anyway.

Note: After Chapter Six, I realized I went along with the first movie's storyline and had the gold coins as the link between being cursed with immortality, such as when Yama steals the coin. In the beginning, Yamamoto already had a gold coin with him, BUT PLEASE NOTE. THAT IS NOT THE COIN FROM ISLE DE MUERTA. It's a completely different keepsake that will have its story told sometime into the future.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seven<p>

They were running, all of them. The flames were growing higher and higher by the second, and the smoke was blackening fast. The heat was nearly unbearable, and the walls were collapsing in the cave as Yamamoto, Hibari, Dino, I-pin, Giotto and Tsuna ran for their lives from the frying pan and into the fire. Literally.

The navy was waiting for them at the mouth of the cave. There was no way they could escape without being caught. Yamamoto chewed his lip. Nowadays, it was never a good thing to be a pirate. He would be nabbed by the authorities instantly, but I-pin, Hibari, and Dino were civilians. They didn't plan to become lawbreakers, but at the moment, Yamamoto knew that the navy wouldn't be keen on listening, even with Dino's influence.

So it was die by the fire or die by hanging. Neither was very appealing. The group stumbled onto the shore, where their rowboat was still fortunately left behind. Giotto coughed and wiped ash from his face. "What now, Yamamoto?" he asked. "We're going to get caught."

"That's not the pleasant way to go, mate." Yamamoto replied crisply, taking off his hat to shake dust from it. "However, I've got a way out. But it's mad, I say."

"How?" Hibari asked immediately.

"Wait."

Everybody's head turned. Dino bit his lip, a pained expression on his face. "Yamamoto…you can't go. The navy is here. You'll be caught for sure. Just give yourself up."

"_What_?" Giotto and Tsuna both said in disbelief. Hibari's eyes narrowed. I-pin spun around and said in surprise, "Dino, what are you saying?"

"This—this is…" the blonde struggled with the words. "Listen, I-pin, Yamamoto is a pirate. He's actually a pirate lord, to be exact, and he's a lawbreaker. Pirates must hang. It's the rules."

"No offence, mate, but the hempen ropes aren't very appealing to me." Yamamoto cut in flatly. "Are you going to sell me out?"

Dino closed his eyes, exhaling heavily. "Yeah, Yamamoto. I am."

"You bastard!" Hibari bellowed, suddenly ramming his tonfa right into Dino's face. The blonde yelled in pain as his nose broke with a snap and began gushing blood. The raven drew back and attacked again, striking Dino in the shoulder and stomach as well. I-pin shrieked and grabbed Hibari's arm, yanking him back. "Brother, stop!"

"You arse, how dare you suggest something like that," Hibari snarled, straining half-heartedly against his sister's hold. "You came along for this journey. Nobody forced you to. You sailed with a bunch of pirates on a stolen ship for four goddamned days. This man brought us here and he saved my sister. He saved _your fiancée_. And you're going to hand him over to the navy like a rotten turncoat!"

"YOU THINK I WANT TO?" Dino bellowed, wiping blood off his face. It was the first time he had raised his voice like that. "You think I want to come along, Kyoya? I did it because I love I-pin, but I have other responsibilities as well. I'm the Cavallone's heir. I have to take care of my family and our business. It's my job. I can't throw that away. I can't, don't you understand?"

"No," Hibari said, shaking with anger. "No, I don't understand one bit. But I do know one thing. Touch Yamamoto Takeshi and you. Will. Die."

"That's enough," Yamamoto said sharply. "We've got no time. Dino, I have no way of understanding what you position are in at the moment because frankly, I can't give a rat's arse about the navy and the East India Trading Company. However, I do understand what family means to you. But if you try to stop me, I won't go down without a fight." He turned to the rest of the group. "Gio, and Giotto's brother…I need you two to go and turn the rowboat upside down in the water. Now, and quickly."

The blonde nodded and pulled Tsuna along to do so. Dino and Hibari were still facing each other, and I-pin was standing nervously between them.

"Kyoya—" Dino started, but Hibari cut him off.

"I'm going. I've got other business now, and it doesn't involve you." The raven turned on his heel and began walking towards Yamamoto. I-pin closed her eyes and sighed.

"Dino…" she said softly.

"I-pin, please," the blonde said suddenly. "Please, I-pin. You can't go with them. They're pirates. I-pin, you can't. Please. _Please_."

The young woman looked up, pressing her lips together firmly. "Dino, I owe Yamamoto my life. And I have questions about my past that I need to know. I…I can't go with you."

"No, I-pin, please—"

"I'm sorry," I-pin whispered, then turned and ran after her older brother, long black hair swinging behind her.

He couldn't watch her as she left. Dino closed his eyes and listened to the waves crashing against the walls of the cave. There was an empty emotion inside his chest right now. What was it? Pain? Regret? He bit his tongue and nearly tasted blood. _Why did losing everything hurt so much now_?

Then, suddenly, it came crashing down upon him, the words spoken by someone they had visited not very long ago. It was astonishing how quickly fate could move.

_You shall lose what you once held dear  
>Betray what matters and fail to bring a loved one near<em>

He lost I-pin once. She was saved, but in the process, he'd dishonored the Cavallone name. He tried to fix that, and where did it lead to? Dino sank to his knees and opened his eyes. He was alone on the shores of Isle de Muerta. _Fail to bring a loved one near_. All his efforts were in vain.

I-pin was gone. Again.

* * *

><p>"This is madness." Giotto said plainly. Yamamoto chuckled dryly and said, "Yes, I've heard so before."<p>

"Don't talk so much," Hibari muttered from the back. "I'm running out of air."

"Urk, what was that I just stepped on?"

"Crab."

The rowboat bobbed a little. Yamamoto reached out to feel around the rocky side of the cliff. It was hard to see, so he had to make sure they were all following the right direction. "I'm going to check the surface. See if we're going to right way, mates."

"Hurry up," Hibari complained. "There's not much air left."

"Aye, aye," Yamamoto said lightly, and then ducked out from the under the rowboat. Saltwater stung his eyes a little as he swam towards the surface, inhaling sharply as he broke through the water. Treading above the water, Yamamoto looked down to see the blurry outline of the rowboat underneath him. It was a smart idea, actually. With the navy waiting for them at the mouth of the cave, it would be impossible to get out of there alive. Unless, of course, they couldn't be seen.

The solution? Go underwater. Holding one's breath while trying to swim to the surface would be difficult if they didn't know which way to go, so Yamamoto helpfully solved the problem by having him, Hibari, I-pin, Tsuna and Giotto line up under the upturned rowboat and walk underwater until the found the Vongola, relying on the air bubble trapped under the upside down boat. Giotto was right in a way. Only Yamamoto could come up with such mad theories.

Their ship was only several feet away. Once they walked around the side of the cliff underwater they would be able to board the ship and escape. Yamamoto took a deep breath and plunged back down under the waves. He located the rowboat and immediately ducked under. He emerged, spluttering.

"How far are we?" Hibari asked immediately.

"Not far," Yamamoto replied. "We've only got this last corner, mate. Let's go."

The group mumbled and continued their slow-motion walk along the bottom of the sea, hanging on to the side of the cave that extended below the surface of the sea to make sure they stayed under. After several feet, Yamamoto poked his head out from underneath the rowboat and managed to get a glimpse of the bottom of the ship. "Alright, we've made it. Go up before we all suffocate."

Taking huge breaths, I-pin, Giotto, and Tsuna all ducked out from underneath and swam quickly to the surface. However, Hibari remained behind, frowning. Yamamoto blinked and said, "What's wrong, mate? We're really going to run out of air soon."

Hibari gave him a fierce glare. "I…I can't swim."

Yamamoto blinked. Damnation, he'd forgotten. Hibari immediately looked the other way, as though angry with Yamamoto. The dark-haired pirate managed an amused smile. "Well, I'm sure we can solve that, right?"

Hibari raised an eyebrow. Yamamoto chuckled and held out his hand. "Just trust me, mate."

"You're the one who said never to do so," Hibari retorted, but grasped Yamamoto's hand all the same. In one swift movement, Yamamoto bumped his head up and knocked the rowboat over. The air bubble trapped beneath immediately rushed up to the surface. Hibari struggled a little at the uncomfortable feeling of the salt water rushing in, but Yamamoto pushed off hard against the bottom of the sea and they shot upwards. Within seconds they broke through the surface, and Hibari spluttered madly, coughing and shaking water out of his eyes. Yamamoto held onto him tightly, spitting a stream of water out of his mouth. Thank goodness they were still in a relatively shallow area surrounding the cave, or Hibari would've drowned. The man looked like a soaked, irritable cat again, scowling and clinging onto Yamamoto's shirt.

"Get me out of here," he mumbled, keeping his head down. "I hate water."

"Aye, aye," Yamamoto said good-naturedly, kicking towards the Vongola. He could see that the others had already made it back safe and sound, and suddenly, a length of rope splashed into the water as they neared the side of the ship.

"Cap'n!" It was Gokudera. "Grab on! We don't have much time!"

"Get up there first," Yamamoto said, grabbing the end of the rope and placing it in Hibari's hands, which seemed reluctant to let go of his shirt. The raven nodded and wound the rope between his hands, and Gokudera began pulling him up. A second later, Mukuro also tossed a rope over and pulled Yamamoto out of the water as well.

"We saw the fire," Mukuro said. "What in the devil's name happened in there?"

"A _fire_ happened, that's what," Giotto said dryly, tossing a ragged cloth over to Yamamoto. "Yamamoto, you do realize that we have to sail _past_ the navy's ship in order to get out, right?"

"Aye, but I'll bet they've got part of their arms full with Reborn's crew right now," Yamamoto said, fixing his hat. "If we fire a couple of shots at them as we go, we should get a decent head start."

"What if they fire back?" Lambo squeaked, clutching the hem of his shirt. He looked so terrified that Yamamoto had to wonder how on earth the kid became a pirate.

"Then _we_ fire back again, moron!" Gokudera snapped, slapping Lambo on the back so that he slipped on the deck. "Hurry up and man the cannons, damn it!"

The crew scrambled to comply. Ryohei, Gokudera and Lambo vanished into the hulls, Mukuro climbed up to unfurl the sails, and Giotto ushered I-pin and Tsuna into the captain's quarters, despite their protests. Yamamoto took his place by the wheel, and was surprised to find Hibari already standing there, loading a rifle. His hair was still wet, plastered to his neck, and he'd abandoned his jacket somewhere so all he wore now was a vest and shirt. He was quite skinny.

"Canons not your thing, eh?" Yamamoto asked, turning the wheel as the wind began to tug the ship forwards. Hibari scoffed loudly, tapping the butt of the rifle on the floor of the deck. "Don't make me hit you."

"As you wish," Yamamoto said lightly, turning the wheel. "Pass me my effects, will you? And some gunpowder. One fight's over, and another's just begun."

Hibari rolled his eyes and tossed Yamamoto's sword, and bag over. The pirate lord caught it with an expert hand, immediately rummaging through it for his spyglass. "Ready yourself, mate. From what I remember, the _Vongola_ isn't built for defense, was it?"

Hibari scowled. "No. Speed."

Yamamoto sighed. "Maa, maa. Not much use for us if we get a hole blown in the hull."

The giant ship steered around the corner. It felt as though everybody was holding their breath. Yamamoto's eyes narrowed in concentration as he turned the wheel slowly. The _Vongola_ scraped past the side of the cave, so close that all one had to do was reach out and they could touch to weathered rock.

"Steady as she goes…" Yamamoto said, too quietly to be heard by anyone other than Hibari, who raised an eyebrow. There was a moment of stillness, and then the ship turned the last part of the corner and the navy's giant battle cruiser came into view.

"Captain!" Mukuro yelled.

"FIRE!" Yamamoto bellowed, turning the wheel sharply so that all the cannons on the right side of the ship were exposed. There was a deafening roar and a powerful boom as the entire ship was pushed slightly to the side. The cannonballs flew across the short distance between the two ships and within seconds, nailed the navy's boat with several hard shots. There was another ear-splitting blast as the crew under the deck continued to fire. Shouts came from the ship as the wood splintered from the impact, but a moment later, a cannonball from their enemies came whizzing by.

"Watch out!"

The first damage the Vongola took was a huge blow to the rails. The cannonball skidded along the width of the deck, shattering wood and blowing up part of the rails on the other side of the ship. Yamamoto gritted his teeth and turned the wheel sharply, bringing the _Vongola_ out towards the open sea in an attempt to start their escape. However, they were still too close to their enemy. Navy officers and gunmen swung over from lengths of rope with well-practiced aim, landing on the ruined deck with loud _thumps_. Yamamoto cursed. There were at least six of them already.

_Bang. Bang_.

The dark-haired man blinked when two of the sailors dropped like stones, dead with a bullet through their head, courtesy of a raven next to him. Hibari made an irritable noise in his throat when he saw that only two of their foes had fallen and took aim with the rifle again.

_Bang._

A third sailor collapsed on the deck. The remaining three immediately fired at them. Yamamoto and Hibari ducked quickly, pieces of wood breaking off from the shots. There was another roar as a canon nailed itself into the back of the ship, right into the captain's quarters.

"I-pin!" Hibari said suddenly. Yamamoto grabbed his arm and yanked the raven down.

"Don't look up, you'll get hit!"

There were the sounds of two more shots, and only one sailor was left standing. Yamamoto squinted up at the crow's nest to see Mukuro half-hidden among the mass of ropes and sails, a rifle in his hand too. He gave a quick wave to the blue-haired man, who returned the gesture when he saw that Yamamoto and Hibari were safe. Then, barely a second later, another bullet grazed by Yamamoto's exposed hand, cutting the flesh open and scattering droplets of blood over them.

"Whoa," the pirate lord blinked, sucking on the wound. "They're better than I thought."

"Who was it that told me not to get up?" Hibari hissed, looking furious. "You're stupider than _I _thought!"

"You're a horrible person, has anybody told you that before, mate?"

"Yes," Hibari shot back, "_You _did." With those words, the raven cocked his rifle again and crawled over to the side of the ship, lying flat on his stomach and taking aim between the gaps in the railing. Yamamoto shook his head in mild amusement, keeping the ship's wheel steady while still lying down on the floor. The canons and bullets continued to fly around them, and the _Vongola_ shuddered as she attempted to sail out of the cove while being pursued by the Navy's battleship.

"Pirates! This is Commodore Gamma! Surrender yourself this instant!"

The Commodore's voice was magnified slightly over the roar of the battle, just loud enough for Yamamoto to hear it over the din. Ginning, he pulled his hat down over his eyes and smirked. "Way to be ironic now, Fate."

"What are you mumbling about?" Hibari yelled back. Yamamoto only gave him a half smirk and said brightly, "Hold the wheel for me, Hibari!" and slid down the ruined steps leading up to the wheel, ignoring Hibari's protests. He shimmied down to the deck, ducking quickly through the trapdoor and into the hull, where Gokudera, Lambo, Giotto and Ryohei were operating the canons and covered in dust, grime, and sweat.

"Cap'n! What's going on?" Gokudera bellowed, wincing as another cannonball crashed into the side of the ship.

"Need a favour from you men," Yamamoto grinned. "I need you to fire off a reply to the Commodore for me."

The four pirates blinked, and then looked at each other. Shrugging their shoulders, they looked back towards their captain.

"What be yer orders?"

* * *

><p>Aboard the navy's top battleship, <em>Millifore<em>, Commodore Gamma slid his telescope shut with a snap, glowering at the _Vongola_ as it continued to sail out of the cove with no obvious intention of stopping.

"Damn those pirates. We're shooting at our own ship," he growled, clenching his fists.

"Commodore! Do we proceed with the plan?"

"Aye," Gamma replied, turning his back onto the stolen vessel. "Destroy those maggots if it's the last thing you do!"

"Yes sir!" the sailors chorused, hurrying to their positions to initiate their plan. Gamma closed his eyes as the cannons were directed towards the ship yet again. _It's over._

_Booom._

The sound of a canon shook the waves and rocked the boat, and Gamma frowned. There was no way his sailors had fired yet, so what was going on…?

_Boom_.

This time, sea water forcefully splashed up onto the side of the ship, washing out any sailor who wasn't steady on their feet. The Commodore himself had to grab tight onto the rails, hanging on to keep himself upright.

_Boom_.

A third cannon shot rang out, and to Gamma's shock, he saw the cannon fly right into the water instead of hitting the boat. His eyes widened. This tactic. He'd seen it before. _It couldn't be_.

"Brace yourselves!" he bellowed to his men, and at that moment, a giant tidal wave erupted from the sea from nowhere, sending the Millifore tipping dangerously close to one side. Sailors screamed as they fell and equipment came crashing above them. Several cannons rolled loose and fell with dull splashes into the waves. Gamma cursed as the ship straightened itself after several heart-stopping moments of nearly flipping. He knew who the pirate lord on that ship was now. The Commodore threw back his head and bellowed the much-hated name up towards the sky.

"Yamamoto Takeshi!"

* * *

><p>Hibari laid flat on the deck, spluttering madly as he spewed a stream of seawater out of his mouth, eyes wide. What on earth had just happened?<p>

"Hibari!"

Yamamoto was running up onto the platform now, throwing himself flat onto his stomach as well to avoid the bullets still hurtling their way. "Are you okay?"

"What in the devil was that just now?" Hibari hissed. "Did you make that tidal wave?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Yamamoto replied cautiously. Hibari scowled. He got the feeling that the pirate was hiding something from him again.

"How did you do it?"

Yamamoto shrugged, pulling out his pistol. "I've got my ways. I've lived at the sea my whole life, so I know a few tricks."

"Why did you make that tidal wave?" Hibari pressed. "Right after that annoying herbivore told you to surrender?"

Yamamoto pursed his lips and an unnaturally dark look washed over his expression. He shook his sleeve back and turned his arm out towards Hibari. "Look here, mate, you see what's on my arm?"

The raven turned to look. For a moment, he only saw a suntanned arm with a tattoo of a swallow, some Chinese characters and a seashell, and then his eyes focused on another mark that he had seen once before. It was a burn mark in the shape of a _P_. A pirate's brand.

"That's…"

"The burn," Yamamoto said quietly, shaking his sleeve back down, "was from the man on that ship right now. Commodore Gamma."

"He burned that mark on you?"

"Received a promotion for it too," Yamamoto gritted out. "I'm not losing to him a second time."

Hibari bit his lip, fingers tightening on the rifle. For some reason, that made him…angry. The fact that another man had done something like that to Yamamoto…

"Captain!" Mukuro suddenly yelled from the crow's nest. "We've got a strong wind in our sails!"

"Aye!" Yamamoto called back, brightening up a little. "Full speed ahead!"

The giant sails of the _Vongola_ puffed out as the sea breeze caught in its folds, spreading the cloths out like a bird spreading its wings. Yamamoto stood up and quickly turned the wheel of the ship, bringing them further out towards the sea. Hibari got to his feet as well, wind sending him stumbling forwards into Yamamoto's back.

"We're almost out," he said, blinking. Yamamoto grinned. "Aye, mate. We're good from here."

The _Millifore _had yet to catch the wind. Slowly, the _Vongola_ began pulling ahead, and Mukuro jumped down from his post to call Gokudera, Lambo, Giotto and Ryohei up from the hull. I-pin and Tsuna came out of the half-destroyed captain's quarters as well, covered in dust but unharmed. The crew cheered as the vessel splashed through the waves, gaining speed and momentum. Hibari began to hurry down the steps towards his younger sister, a rare look of relief and happiness on his face.

Yamamoto smiled. They were almost out of the cove now. Beyond the mist, he could just start to see the blaze of a warm morning sun.

_Clack_.

He heard the ominous sound ring out in his ears and Yamamoto turned. From nearly twenty feet away, there was a tall figure standing on the deck of the _Millifore_. A familiar figure with a dark green coat and a wavy mop of golden blonde hair, pointing a long rifle in their direction.

Commodore Gamma.

In an instant, the wind picked up again. Yamamoto froze. There was no doubt who the Commodore was aiming for. But with this breeze, the bullet will definitely be blown off course, and it would hit—

"Kyoya!"

I-pin's voice carried Hibari's name over the sounds of the waves crashing against the ship towards Yamamoto. The raven was still walking down the raised part of the staircase towards his sister. Panic pounded through Yamamoto's veins.

"Hibari—!"

_Bang_.

The raven jerked, eyes widening in shock. I-pin stumbled to a halt, her jaw dropping as she looked up to where her brother was standing. Hibari slowly raised his hand, pale and shaking, to touch a larger, tanned hand that was placed over his chest.

"What…?"

Yamamoto Takeshi was standing behind him, arms wrapped protectively around the raven, shielding him from what would have been a fatal shot. Hibari turned to face the dark-haired pirate, confusion and fear etched on his face.

"Was that a gunshot…?"

Yamamoto gave a weak smile in response, coughing a little as his knees buckled. It was only then did Hibari see a dark red stain slowly blossoming on the pirate's chest.

"Yamamoto—!"

The pirate lord's knees gave way at that very moment, and Hibari, a moment too late, reached out to grab at the other's arm. But Yamamoto had already started to fall, and in a mere second, the dark-haired man had already tumbled over the side of the blown-up railings and plummeted into the sea with a resounding splash.

Far away, Commodore Gamma lowered his rifle with a grim smile of satisfaction at the small ripple of water next to the _Vongola_. It was his win.

"We're done here."

The wind howled as I-pin's scream pierced the air and Hibari grabbed at the remains of railing, his voice cracking with the sudden overload of emotion breaking through his voice. Behind him, Gokudera's yells and Tsuna's terrified cry only added to the confusion and disbelief.

"Takeshi!"

* * *

><p>This. Is Chapter Seven. I finished this at 12:05 am the night before my math exam. Am I demented or what? In any case, I apologize for not completing this earlier. I am once again using the excuse of having a writer's block, and therefore you guys are entitled to smack me around the head for using such a pathetic reason for not completing my work. I'm sorry!<p>

By the way, how many of you guys remember the rowboat scene from the first _Pirates_ movie? :'D One of my fav moments~~ haha~

On a side note, I will admit that I had a lot of schoolwork, but I'm back now. Hi. Hi. Hi. I love you guys :'D And so, Reborn is dead. Dino betrayed them. I killed off Yamamoto. I am seriously insane. That is all. Please look forward to Chapter Eight! Reviews a much appreciated!

-Blackstar


	8. Chapter 8

Thieves and Beggars

Chapter 8

At this point in time I think I am going slightly insane. If you've read Chapter Seven, you'll probably know why. Yikes. TT^TT But this is Chapter Eight. Thank you for keeping up so far! And I promise Yama-chan wouldn't be out of commission for long. Because really. Even I can't deny a romantic ending for an 8018 story, okay?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eight<p>

He was falling.

Quickly or slowly, he didn't know. Something rushed past him. His hand reached out for it. What was it? Who was it?

"_Hibari?"_

Then a voice spoke in his ear, so quietly that he had to strain to listen.

_You will travel with partners back to the land of the dead  
>One seeks, one cursed, one doomed in the end<br>Fight thrice in the sea and descend to the sands below_

His heart skipped a beat. The Fates were moving quickly. Had so much been fulfilled already?

Then, something else came towards him. Something colder. Something darker.

"_Yamamoto Takeshi. You are mine."_

* * *

><p>The canons boomed and the <em>Vongola <em>rocked at the waves splashing over its sides. Everything was in disarray. Ryohei had scrambled to take control of the wheel, desperately trying to keep the giant ship on course. Gokudera, Mukuro, and even Lambo were taking aim at their enemies with their rifles now, firing shot after shot to buy them more time to escape. I-pin was hovering near the railing with Tsuna, both looking stricken.

And Hibari.

The raven would not stay still. He _couldn't_ stay still. He was currently lying on the surface of the deck, face pressed against the slippery wood and Giotto Primo pinning him down with all his strength to keep Hibari from jumping over the railing after Yamamoto.

For a frightening second after their captain had fallen into the water, the raven had actually tried to throw himself into the sea after him. Giotto had pounced, dragging him back onto the ship and was now fighting against the raven to hold him still.

"Stop! Stop it!" Giotto bellowed over the sounds of the bullets streaking around them.

"Shut up!" Hibari screamed. "Let me go this instant! Let me go after him!"

"Are you stupid? You'll die! You're going to drown! There's nothing you can do for him!"

"Lies!" Hibari retorted, snapping his head back and smashing it into Giotto's nose. The blonde grunted in pain, but to his credit, still managed to hold Hibari down.

"Don't be stupid, child, do you think he wanted you to follow him?" Giotto snarled, wiping his nose awkwardly on his shoulder. "He took the bullet for you! He didn't want _you_ shot, and now you want to jump in after him?"

"AND YOU'RE GOING TO LET HIM DIE?" Hibari roared,tears streaking down his face. Giotto looked shocked.

"You're…going…to let him…die…?" Hibari weakly repeated his words, still struggling, but his attempts now were half-hearted, as though he'd lost the will to fight back. Giotto bit his lip, letting his bangs fall over his face.

"I'm sorry, Hibari. He did it for you…so don't do anything rash, please."

"'Don't do anything rash'?" Hibari repeated quietly. "I know what you mean."

"Good," Giotto exhaled, looking more relieved. Next to them, I-pin and Tsuna also sighed as well. Then, Hibari's eyes narrowed.

"As _if!_" he snarled, twisting one of his hands free and punching Giotto as hard as he could in the chin. Giotto fell back, shouting a mixture of curses.

"Brother!" I-pin cried.

"Hibari-san, don't!" Tsuna wailed.

Hibari had turned, half a mind to leap back into the waters and fish Yamamoto's body out of the sea when he came face to face with a woman that had appeared from nowhere.

For a scary moment, it was as though he was facing the Fates all over again.

"Who's that?"

"A woman!"

"What—?"

"YOU!" Hibari snarled, lunging for the woman immediately. His hands closed around her thin neck and the two toppled backwards, landing on the deck. "Fates! You did this! You knew he was going to die!"

The woman choked, smacking Hibari fiercely in the face with one hand and attempting to pry the raven's fingers off with the other. "Don't—not—a Fate—"

"Stop! Hibari, stop!" Giotto ran forwards again and half-dragged, half-wrestled Hibari off of the woman. "She's not a Fate!"

Hibari struggled, growling. "Who are you?" he spat at the woman, who coughed and sat up. She scowled at Hibari, her long light-coloured hair falling over her fair face and her bright blue eyes ablaze with determination.

"My name is Elena," she snapped. "And I'm here to save your lives!"

Before any one of them could protest, the sea reared back, the _Vongola_ was swallowed by the waves in less than a heartbeat.

* * *

><p>"Where did they go?" Gamma bellowed, slamming his fist onto the rail. "Where did those pirates disappear off to?"<p>

"Sir! The waves overtook the ship, sir!" one of the sailors cried. "They're underwater!"

"Curses," Gamma muttered. "They've escaped."

"But sir," argued the sailor, "They're underwater. There's no way they're alive."

Gamma shot the man a dark look. "You haven't seen them pirates before then, sailor." He snapped. "They can work tricks you'd never have though possible."

Giving the spot where the _Vongola_ had vanished one last, heated glare, the Commodore turned and made his way back into his headquarters. "We're done here! Turn back!"

The sailors answered "Aye!" in unison and hurriedly began tugging at their ropes, ushering the prisoners they'd managed to capture from Reborn's crew down to the hull and unfurling their sails. Gamma paid them no mind as he walked into the Captain's quarters, shutting the door with a snap and locking it behind him.

"Now then," he said quietly, turning to face the figure seated in a chair in the center of the cabin. The man's hands were bound behind his back and his legs were chained together as well. "What shall we do with you?"

The man held captive looked up, his eyes on fire behind a wave of blonde hair. Gamma smirked and crossed his arms. "Dino Cavallone, indeed."

* * *

><p>For about the fourth time already, Hibari noted, he was underwater. Ever since meeting Yamamoto, he'd managed to nearly die by drowning more times in a week than he had his whole life. That being said, around him, he could see the others in various states of confusion. I-pin and Tsuna had managed to grab onto the rails to keep themselves grounded. Gokudera, Ryohei, Mukuro and Lambo had formed some kind of weird human chain hanging onto the ship's wheel. Next to him, Giotto had managed to get hold of the ropes, and the blonde was kind enough to seize the back of Hibari's vest to make sure that the raven wouldn't float away.<p>

Elena was the only one who could still stand on the deck of the sinking ship like she wasn't underwater. Her long hair was floating right up from her scalp, which was quite eerie to look at. She closed her eyes and furrowed here eyebrows, as though concentrating on something. Hibari was starting to black out from lack of oxygen when the woman's eyes finally shot open and she raised her hands.

The water came crashing down in an instant.

The members of the crew fell like stones as well, falling hard onto the deck as gravity came back. Coughing and spluttering, the group slowly crawled to their feet, shaking water out of their hair and wringing their shirts dry. They were in a completely unfamiliar area. The sea beneath them was calm, but the air was chilly and the sky was heavily clouded, like there was a storm brewing in the distance.

"What was that?" Tsuna asked shakily.

"Witchcraft?" Gokudera said, clenching his fists.

"No," Elena said sharply. "This is not something as low class as _witchcraft_, insolent pirate."

"Who are you?" Giotto asked wearily. The woman turned to face him, eyes piercing through the blonde.

"I told you. My name is Elena. I was sent here to save you from the navy."

"Sent by whom?" Mukuro asked, immediately suspicious.

Elena turned and looked him up and down. "You…" she said slowly. "are the thief."

Mukuro stiffened. "What did you say?"

Elena scowled at him. "You're a thief. Your hands are blackened by holding onto things that aren't yours for too long."

"You bitch—"

"Enough!" Hibari cut in, whipping out his tonfas from nowhere. "Pineapple! Shut up! And you!" he rounded on Elena, ignoring Mukuro's indignant yell. "Why did you take us away from the cove? Yamamoto's body is still there!"

"So?" Elena asked irritably. "What do you think you can do? The navy was going to kill you where you stand. What were you going to do, dive in? You can't swim, Hibari Kyoya," she put in helpfully. "You would've been finished right then and there."

Hibari bristled angrily, and for a moment, he looked like he was going to smash Elena's face in with his tonfas. Then, to everyone's surprise, the raven lowered his weapons and tilted his chin up at her. "There could have been a chance to save him. But you pulled some strings and spirited us away from the cove. So what now? What's your objection by bringing us here?"

Elena combed the tangles out of her wet hair idly, pausing to think. When not frowning, her face was smooth to the point of almost being surreal. There was a strangely familiar air of timelessness surrounding her.

"I was told to bring you here from some people you know," she said finally. "Some people that I happen to work for."

"Who?" Ryohei questioned. Elena fixed him with her cutting stare.

"The Fates, of course."

"Them?" Gokudera cried. "What do they want with us?"

"I came to rely part of a message as well," Elena huffed. "Luce told me to ask you, _'Which part of your prophecies have come true already?'_"

Everybody tensed up. Hibari clenched his fists and said coldly, "That's none of your concern."

"Is that so?" Elena retorted. "Let me tell you something then. You, Hibari, your prophecy said that _You will live your life confined to land. Chase after reason and the red-cloaked man. Lose what you love twice and recover it once_. Yamamoto Takeshi is gone, yes? Lose what you love twice. You're lost the first one right about now."

Hibari's jaw dropped. But before he could retaliate, Elena had rounded on Giotto. "Giotto Primo. _You shall place your trust twice in blackened hands. Sail alongside a liar, a thief, and a friend._ This is the second time you've sailed with Yamamoto. And those three mentioned in your prophecy? They're in your crew right now.

"As for Dino Cavallone," she went on, even though the name made many of the pirates on board cast dark glares at the floor, "_You shall lose what you once held dear. Betray what matters and fail to bring a loved one near_. He's lost his love once. He gave up his pride to bring it back, and now it's gone again. Am I right, Hibari I-pin?"

The dark-haired girl paled, but she set her jaw firmly and glared the woman back down. Elena huffed and plowed on.

"Yamamoto Takeshi's prophecy. I shall not bore you with the details, but I will have you know one thing: He was meant to die."

"What?" Hibari snarled.

"And all of you," Elena continued as though she didn't hear the outburst, "are destined to bring him back."

There was a cold silence. Then, hesitantly, Ryohei spoke up. "Belay that. The dead ain't supposed to come back, miss. There are some things you don't mess with in the universe." For once, the most carefree silver-haired crew member looked very serious.

"Fair enough," Elena said calmly, "But Yamamoto Takeshi did not happen to pass on into the Underworld."

"What do you mean?" Tsuna asked immediately. "He's not cursed, is he?"

"What?" Elena asked, confused. "Why would he be cursed?"

Briefly, Giotto had to explain to her the curse associated with the treasure at Isle de Muta. Elena listened seriously about Reborn's cursed immortality and how Yamamoto temporarily became invincible as well.

"I understand now…" she said slowly. "No, that is not the reason Yamamoto did not go to the Underworld. You see, there is a person who is very interested in keeping Yamamoto for his own purposes."

"Who? For what reasons?" Hibari interrupted almost at once, looking positively murderous. Elena gave him an irritable stare. "I know that the two of you are in love and all, but would you please stop interrupting me every time I talk?"

"I—We're not in love!" Hibari hissed, face going red. He was aware of everybody staring at him now, including his own sister, who was also a little red in the face.

Elena rolled her eyes. "If you insist. But that is not our point. Right now, Yamamoto is not dead, so to speak, but he is residing in a limbo. A space between the living and the dead. He's being kept in Daemon's Locker."

There was a stunned silence. Every one of the pirates had the look of a man who had too much information being shoved in their faces.

"Hang on," Lambo whispered weakly. "Daemon's Locker? As in, the Ferryman's Realm?"

Elena gave him a funny look. "It's been years since anyone called him by his real name. _The Ferryman_? Nobody calls him that anymore, boy. Not since he abandoned his post and left those who died at sea to wander in eternal unrest."

"So why the sudden interest in Yamamoto?" Mukuro asked. Elena shook her head.

"I have my hunches. If any of you have noticed, the balance between the pirates and the East India Trading Company has started to stretch thin. The battles at sea and murders are increasing. The pirates need to gather together quickly to prevent their extinction, and that would involve their leaders joining together to think of a way to fight."

"The leaders?" Lambo squeaked in fear.

"Or the Pirates Lords," Tsuna said quietly. "Pirate Lords like Reborn and Yamamoto."

"Correct," Elena responded. "And now two of the Lords are dead. And nothing can be decided among the pirates even if only _one_ of their Lords is not present. We must work fast and bring back at least one of them while we still can."

"And how are we going to find Daemon's Locker?" Hibari questioned. Elena turned and smiled at him.

"That's the second reason why I was sent to you. I know the way, and I'm going to lead you there."

"How on earth would you know?" Giotto asked sharply. Elena paused. "I'd rather you not question me like so, Giotto Primo." With those words, she turned and started towards the front of the ship. "Set sail for the east," she called over her shoulder. "That's the way we should be headed."

There was a pause where the crew made hesitant eye contact with each other, all thinking the same thing. _Could this woman be trusted?_ Then, Hibari tucked his tonfas away and said sharply. "Man the Starboard. There may be a storm coming our way."

"Aye," the crew replied, hurrying to their posts, trying not to think of all the possible things that could go wrong in their future, which was getting more and more confusing by the second.

* * *

><p>They sailed for three days. During those three days, it became evident of how difficult it was to sail without their captain. Trust had always been an issue between the crew, not matter how long they had sailed together. It was an unspoken rule between pirates. Yet, without the familiar figure of Yamamoto steering the wheel with his foot, leaning on the rail while peering through his spyglass at the horizon, or simply sitting cross-legged on the crow's nest, compass in one hand and a tankard of rum in the other, the ship felt empty and weak.<p>

Out of all the crew, it was obvious Hibari took Yamamoto's death the hardest. He took it upon himself to steer the ship, but was more than often seen leaning against the wooden circle with a blank look on his face. His mood could easily vary from very pissed off to apathetic indifference, and the crew learned to avoid him very quickly.

It was nighttime, and Hibari was sitting on the platform, absent-mindedly keeping the wheel steady with his boot. The rest of the crew was below deck, resting. Lambo and Tsuna had already fallen asleep long ago, almost right after they'd finished eating. Elena had eaten separately from them like she normally did, and was sitting at the front of the ship like always whenever she wasn't talking with them. At the moment, Mukuro was dozing off at the crow's nest and there was a small stream of smoke issuing out from the trapdoor, where Gokudera, Giotto, and Ryohei were smoking their pipes and talking quietly.

Hibari was almost dropping off to sleep, lulled by the soft rocking of the ship when a shadow fell over him.

"Brother?"

Hibari's eyes snapped open and he looked up to see I-pin standing above him.

"What are you doing up?" Hibari asked, pushing himself back up in a better position. I-pin didn't say anything. Instead, she sat down next to him, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"What's wrong?" Hibari questioned, watching his sister. Nearly twenty years of being together after their parents' death pretty much meant that they couldn't hide anything from each other.

I-pin tilted her head back and exhaled, making her bangs puff up. "Brother, do you love Yamamoto?"

Hibari yelped out loud, accidentally smashing his head on the banister while trying to jump to his feet. His actions made Elena whip her head around to scowl at him while Giotto poked his head up from the trapdoor to see what the matter was. When he saw the two siblings talking, he gave them a strange look and descended back down to continue his smoke.

"W-why did you ask that?" Hibari huffed, shocked. I-pin blinked and said, "Why are you so surprised? I thought you cared for him. I mean, you should've seen the look on your face when Reborn stabbed him in the chest at the island."

"I—that's not—" Hibari stammered, frowning deeply.

I-pin actually smiled, resting her chin on her knees. "I'm not against it, you know. I think Yamamoto's a good man."

"You shouldn't be thinking that then," Hibari warned, sitting back down. "He's a pirate. Pirates can't be trusted."

"Then what about our parents?" I-pin asked. "Did you trust them?"

Hibari bit his lip, eyes darkening. "Why are you asking me that, I-pin?" he responded quietly. "You know what I think of them."

"Brother, you know that Father was a pirate. Are you mad that he passed the curse onto you? Do you hate him because of it?"

"He abandoned us," Hibari retorted harshly. "He left us. I can't even remember him. And Mother lied to us. She said he was a sailor, right? A _pirate_ is a long was off from being a _sailor_."

"I'm sure she had her reasons," I-pin argued back. "Please, Brother, try to think about it. Sure, Father had left us, but for what reason? He left so that Reborn would chase after him and never learn of our existence. Mother raised us by herself hoping that we would never view Father badly. Yamamoto saved you many times. Kyoya, I think that no matter what, pirates are still human. They still feel the same emotions we do. So don't be mad at Yamamoto. He did it because he cared for you."

"Don't say that," Hibari said sharply. "He used me to get his goals. I used him to get my goals. It's simple as that."

I-pin's lip trembled. "It must be nice then," she said quietly, burying her face into her arms. "to be able to use each other and leave with no strings attached."

Hibari paused. "I-pin—"

"You're lucky, Kyoya!" the younger Hibari burst out. "You're lucky you still have the luxury to deny your feelings for someone!"

Hibari froze as his younger sister started to cry. Immediately, he reached out and hugged his sister tightly. I-pin latched onto his shirt at once, sobbing. While he had been emotionally blanked out, Hibari had almost forgotten that I-pin had broken up with Dino. He bit his lip, resting his chin on her head. They had been engaged for almost a year already and now that he thought about it, they were supposed to get married in the next year. His heart plummeted. He'd been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he'd almost forgotten about his sister's heartbreak.

"I'm sorry, I-pin," Hibari said quietly. "I'm sorry."

I-pin wiped her eyes, managing a weak smile. "Its okay, Brother. You're troubled too."

And it was in that moment that the weight of Yamamoto's death came crashing down upon Hibari. He immediately cast his eyes down, fighting back tears that threatened to spill over. He would never admit it, but the image of the Pirate Lord falling over the railing had haunted him day and night. I-pin's hand closed over his, and Hibari allowed himself to lean tiredly against his sister for a brief moment.

"Look out!" Elena shrieked.

Hibari and I-pin both jumped up in shock. "What happened?" I-pin cried. Below deck, there was a loud thump and a yelp of pain, and Giotto, Ryohei, and Gokudera scrambled out on deck.

"What's going on?"

"Get behind the wheel, Hibari!" Elena yelled. "We've arrived!"

"What?" Ryohei shouted. "Where?"

Elena jumped from the raised part of the ship she'd been sitting on, landing with a thump on deck. "Daemon's Locker, of course," she said grimly.

"Hibari!" Mukuro called from the crow's nest. "We've got trouble!"

The group on deck was quickly joined by Tsuna and Lambo, who were in half-dressed states and completely confused.

"What's happening?"

"What do you see?" Hibari bellowed up at Mukuro. The blue-haired man swung down from the highest point on the ship, relaying his message to Hibari as quickly as he could.

"The sea!" he yelled. "It's ending! It's a waterfall!"

"What?" Hibari called back in disbelief. "How?"

"We've reached the Edge," Elena explained hurriedly. "The Edge of the World."

"Impossible!" Gokudera cried. "That only exists in legends! Nobody believes in that!"

"Well, you better start believing quickly, boy!" Elena warned. "Or you're going to meet a very painful end!"

"Damnation!" Hibari cursed, tightening his grip on the wheel. "What do we have to do?" he shouted at Elena.

"What do we do?" Gokudera hollered. "Turn her back! We can't sail over the Edge!"

"Nay, belay that!" Elena shouted. "Let her run straight and true!"

Lambo squeaked in fear and clutched at Tsuna's arm. The brunette, in turn, grabbed for his older brother. Giotto looked up at Hibari and said, "It's mad."

Hibari gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders. "He would have done it this way."

The crew was still. Then, Giotto rolled up his sleeves and shook his hair out of his eyes. "Unfurl the sails!" he roared. "Keep the ship in a straight line!"

Resigning to both Hibari and Elena's decision, the pirates scrambled to comply, tying down anything that could move or fall. There was a heavy wind that seemed to be pulling them forward now. The sails puffed out and the _Vongola_ began to gain speed, rushing along the surface of the water as it sailed forwards.

"Steady," Hibari called out, fighting to keep the wheel from turning. I-pin grabbed on as well, helping her brother.

"We're close!" Mukuro warned.

"Hang on to something!" Ryohei bellowed.

The sounds of water spilling over was deafening now. The icy spray of the sea showered the crew with every second they got closer. They continued to speed up, and then, the front of the ship tipped very suddenly.

"This is it!" Elena screamed.

"Don't let go!" Hibari shouted, grabbing his sister's hand. I-pin gulped, but stood firm, eyes filled with determination.

"It'll be okay, Kyoya," she said hurriedly. "We'll find Yamamoto."

Hibari closed his eyes. The image of the Pirate Lord's grinning face invaded his mind for a split second.

"Aye," he replied. "We're not losing here."

The _Vongola_ shuddered to an unsteady stop, tethering between the sea and virtually nothing. With an almighty creak, they tipped, and the crew's cries were lost in the roar of the waves as they tumbled straight over the Edge of the World and into the unknown.

* * *

><p>I wrote this in exactly two hours. On my laptop. While eating out.<p>

There was a part where when I was writing, Mukuro was supposed to call out to Hibari who was steering at the wheel. I ended up writing that Mukuro called out to _Yamamoto_, and then I realized that I made a mistake because Yama-chan was dead. And then I succeeded in making myself cry. Ah, the power of writing.

Also, I find Elena's character a bit...strange. From what I gather in the manga, she's more gentle and definately not so mean. But somehow, making her a softy didn't really fit into this story, so I kinda tried to make her a bit uptight, meaner, and more calculating. Actually, I think I got her personality from Adelheid. A bit of a werid thing, too, since I personally hate Adelheid's bossy character at times. Yet, Adelheid's personality is very loyal and emotional at times too. So sub that into Elena's character in this fanfic and Bingo! We've got another awesome female character :'D Anyways.

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment :'D

-BlackStar


	9. Chapter 9

Thieves and Beggars

Chapter 9

I just finished reading Mr. and Mr. Hitman. You guys know it? By Yoneda Kou? It was wonderful :'D Anyhow, it was a bit of a kick to the butt to make me start on Chapter Nine, yay. This is probably going to be one of the longer fanfics I've written. One of my other 8018 fics was only nine chapters as well, but _Thieves and Beggars_ is far from being finished :'D So, uhm, that's all. It's the middle of exam week. I'm sure I failed functions, so sigh. On the other hand, I have hopes for my law exam, kora! Extreme studying and fanfic writing next semester!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Nine<p>

"Well?"

Dino coughed and winced as another bucket of ice cold water was splashed on his face. He was lying on the floor of the captain's quarters, shivering as he tried to sit up in a better position, which was slightly difficult due to the fact that his hands were still tied behind his back and his legs were chained tightly together. The blonde shook water out of his hair, looking defiantly up at the Commodore.

Gamma, in turn, crossed his arms and glared down at Dino irritably. "Talk, Cavallone. I don't care if you're the navy's biggest sponsor or whatever influence stuff you want to pull on me." The taller man walked over to his prisoner in a few short strides and grabbed Dino's collar, hauling him upright.

"Tell me where those damned pirates went!" Gamma hissed furiously, giving the blonde a shake. Dino hissed and snapped angrily, "I. Don't. _Know_. I've been telling you that for the past hour! You watched them disappear under the waves while I was holed up in here! Why on earth are you questioning me?"

"Don't get smart with me," Gamma warned. "You've been travelling with _Yamamoto Takeshi_. That scum's got his ways of twisting your mind without you knowing."

"Yamamoto isn't scum," Dino retorted without thinking.

Gamma raised an eyebrow. "Defending him?"

Dino scowled. "You're just a bad judge of character, Gamma. That's always been your problem."

Gamma shoved Dino away from him. "That's _Commodore Gamma_ to you, Cavallone. You might want to keep that in mind if you want an easier death instead of the gallows."

Dino huffed and crossed his legs on the floor. "Sure."

Gamma raised his other eyebrow. "I must admit I'm surprised that you're not pulling the weight of your family name on me. Have you gotten soft over the years, Cavallone?"

"I don't need my family name to be a man," Dino retorted, resisting the urge to kick the man in front of him. "I'm responsible for my actions, and I don't need status or power to spoil me."

Gamma chuckled. "It's your grave," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, no matter. I've accomplished one of my goals. Shame I couldn't finish off the set, though."

"What?" Dino asked, confused. "The set?"

Gamma walked over to the coffee table in the middle of the room, uncorking a tall bottle of brandy and pouring it out into a small glass. "The entire crew," he said offhandedly. "I didn't manage to wipe out those pirates before the disappeared."

Dino bit his lip. Part of him was beyond relieved that based on Gamma's misfortune, the majority of the crew had escaped, hopefully I-pin and Hibari with them as well. His only concern now was if they were still alive wherever they'd disappeared off to. The blonde ventured cautiously with his words, daring to ask, "So what was the goal you accomplished then?"

Gamma drained his glass in one quick tip of his head, smacking his lips together and smirking. "I've killed a nemesis I've been after for a very long time," he said simply. "A pirate I've caught once but managed to escape."

Dino froze. "A pirate you've caught?"

"Aye," Gamma said in satisfaction. "Finally, Yamamoto Takeshi's body is lying in eternal rest at the bottom of the sea. Where he should be," he added bitterly, cracking the knuckles on his left hand. Dino's eyes grazed over the Commodore's hand, spotting a long, jagged scar that ran across the back of the man's hand and disappearing up into his sleeve. The blonde thought quickly. Where would the crew go, if Yamamoto died? A ship couldn't sail without its captain. Moreover, there was a person on board who would definitely go through extreme lengths to bring Yamamoto back, whether he had an option or not. Dino bit his lip. _Hibari…_

"Fine."

Gamma looked up. "I beg pardon?"

"I'll talk," Dino said firmly. "I think I know of a place they _might_ sail to, now that Yamamoto is dead."

"Where?" Gamma asked at once, walking over.

"There's a place we once visited before heading to Isle de Muta. A pirate's gathering. It's called Rain Island. There's a chance they might go back to convene with other pirates and gather a bigger group to prepare for a fight."

"And you're sure about this?" Gamma asked suspiciously. Dino nodded slowly. "It was the plan for us after we sailed to the Island of the Dead. If we survived, that was where we were planning to go. I don't know when they'll get there though."

Gamma paused, thinking things over in his mind. "Very well," he said cautiously. "No harm in sailing to that place. If we don't find what we're looking for we'll just burn the place down."

Dino paled a little, but jerked his head towards the bay window on the ship. "It's southeast from here."

Gamma stood up, brushing his hands off. "I'll take your word for now, Cavallone," he warned. "If they're not there, I'm sure you know what the consequences are."

Dino merely gave the Commodore a glare, pressing his lips together. Shaking his head, Gamma exited the room, and Dino heard him shouting orders for the ship to head towards the decoy location. Exhaling heavily, the blonde sagged against the wall of the cabin. He knew that the chances of the crew actually sailing back to Rain Island were slim to none. Firstly, Hibari hated crowds, and he would most likely be the one to take charge if Yamamoto was dead, so there was no way the _Vongola_ would sail to the island. Otherwise, that other blonde fellow, Giotto, probably might take over, but Dino doubted he would want to go back either. The place was putrid and held to many hard memories for him.

The ship groaned as it began its course to its new location. The blonde rested his forehead tiredly against his knee, praying silently that the crew find a way to escape before the navy caught up with them.

"I-pin…" Dino murmured quietly to himself, his heart pining painfully as he said his ex-fiancée's name.

_I'm sorry_.

* * *

><p><em>The water rushed up onto the shores, swirling around the boy's ankles as he stood in the shallow end of the beach, waving his small hand to a person in the distance. The said person he was waving too turned one last time, smiling. It was a beautiful woman, wearing a light-blue summer dress, her long, curly black hair tumbling down her back. Her eyes were blue as well, as clear and calm as the waters in the Caribbean Sea. She laughed and waved happily to the boy at the shore before walking further out into the ocean. Then, the water came to life and gently splashed over the woman, encasing her in a bubble of foam before descending into the sea.<em>

_The little boy sniffled a little, his tiny hand now wiping his nose noisily. _

"_Why are you crying, Takeshi?" a man standing next to him questioned. His voice was very low, almost baritone, and sounded cold. Yet, there was no malice in his tone._

"_Ma-mama's leaving again," the little Takeshi cried, "Why aren't you stopping her, Papa?"_

_The man sighed and ran his hand through his black hair, giving his son a look between utter annoyance and regret. "I've told you many times. Your mother cannot stay with you."_

"_But why is Mama going into the ocean?" Takeshi asked, tugging at his father's shirt. "I can't breathe in the ocean! What if Mama can't breathe?"_

"_She can," his father snapped, running a large palm over his scarred face. "Don't worry about your mother. Now go inside, it's getting late. Strange things wake in the sea when the sun sets."_

"_What if Mama is caught by the strange things then?" Takeshi screamed, grabbing his father's jacket now, scared. "You have to save Mama!"_

_The man moved suddenly, yanking his son off him. Takeshi squeaked in shock, flailing, but to his surprise, his father merely picked him up by the back of his shirt and set him back down onto the dry, white sand on the shore. A large hand came out, and Takeshi flinched, but his father only ruffled his hair in a shockingly gentle manner. The little boy looked up, his eyes wide at the rare display of affection._

"_Your mother is fine, Takeshi," his father rumbled. "She's a very strong woman. And she's got you protecting her. So she's fine. Now stop crying."_

"_I'm protecting Mama?" Takeshi asked, eyes shining. His father huffed irritably. "That's what I just said!"_

_Takeshi blinked, processing the thought, and then his face lit up like a lantern. "Aye, Papa!"_

"_Good," his father said shortly. "Now shut the hell up and go inside."_

"_Papa, are you coming in tonight?" Takeshi asked, staring up at the man while pointing at a small house located on top of the cove. The dark-haired man paused, lifting his scarred hand from his son's head and running it through his own hair. _

"_No," he said shortly. "I'm out here, so you go inside."_

"_Oh," Takeshi said in disappointment. "Is shark man going to be with me?"_

"_What?" his father asked, frowning. "Shark man?"_

"_Yah, shark man!" Takeshi grinned. His father pursed his lips. "If he comes, I'll send him in to see you."_

_Takeshi beamed. "Thank you Papa!" he cheered, hugging his father around the middle before dashing up the sandy path back up to their house. His father watched him go, the cool ocean breeze lifting his coat and making the beads tied into his hair clicked together._

"_You spoil the brat too much."_

_The man turned and scowled at a person who had suddenly appeared from nowhere in the waters. "Hang yourself. Go in and keep him company."_

"_Again?" the man roared. "Why am I looking after that brat for you?"_

"_Why are you questioning me?" the dark-haired man snarled back. The man from the sea scowled, flicking his unnaturally long sliver hair out of his face before splashing loudly as he walked out of the sea. "It's coming, you know," the silver-haired man informed the dark-haired man offhandedly. _

"_I know."_

"_You're going to fight it again?"_

_The dark-haired man reached into the back of his coat and pulled out two large, ornate pistols. "As often as I need to to get rid of that scum of the sea."_

_The silver-haired man rolled his eyes and started to walk up the sandy path towards the house. "All for that boy?"_

"_For her boy," Takeshi's father corrected. "It's her son."_

"_It's your son too," the other pointed out. The man glared daggers at him. "All I care about is my territory. That bastard has been wiping out my prey and my resources with that filthy underwater beast of his. He needs to die."_

"_As you insist," the man shrugged, continuing his way up. "Keep telling yourself that." The air was getting chillier as the sun started to set. Then, an ominous noise came from the sea, and waves stilled to an eerie silence. The silver-haired man froze. He spun around to see the dark-haired man motionlessly standing at the shore, pistols in hand. There was the sound of Takeshi's father quietly cocking his weapons. _

"_Shark man!"_

_The younger Takeshi suddenly appeared on the deck, waving his small hands to his father's friend, a brilliant grin on his face. "No!" the silver-haired man yelled in shock, running forward. "Brat! Go back inside!"_

"_What?" Takeshi asked, blinking. There was a loud roar of the waves and suddenly, the calm sea was frothing madly. Something was out there. Takeshi stared in shock at the cove. "Papa!" he screamed starting down the steps. "Papa, come back!"_

"_Get in, brat!" the silver-haired man bellowed, running forwards, grabbing the boy and dragging him back in. The boy wailed and fought back, trying to get to his father, who was still standing on the beach as a giant shape began to emerge from the waves. _

"_Papa! Papa, come back!" Takeshi cried. "Papa!"_

_The dark-haired man didn't look at his only son. He simply raised his pistols and aimed at the writhing mass in the sea. Powerful shots rang out in the cove, echoing against the cliffs in the distance as the water came to life and a giant monster of the deep emerged from the frothing waves._

Yamamoto sat bolt upright, drawing his sword in one swift movement and struck it forwards, hitting nothing but air. His heart was pounding and cold sweat trickled down his face. He was panting like he'd just run a ten kilometers, his stomach feeling ill and weak. The Pirate Lord blinked and looked around him.

There was no cove. No waves. No silver-haired man or sea monsters.

No mother walking into the ocean. No father taking aim with his pistols.

All he could see was a vast, unending stretch of white sand. In the distance, there was what looked like towering mountains, but the scenery seemed to shift before his very eyes, turning into a dead forest before changing into the remains of a burned village. Then, it changed back into mountains.

Yamamoto stood up, rubbing his eyes. Where was he?

The sand filled his boot as the stumbled through the soft vegetation, listening intently for any sounds, but the place was silent. Not even a breath of wind indicated the direction for the Pirate Lord. Frowning, Yamamoto reached into the folds of his jacket and pulled out his compass. Popping the case open, he was greeted by a strange sight. The needle was fixed dead North. Yamamoto turned towards the right. The needle didn't move. He turned to his left. It remained immobile.

"Damnation, why is it that you point North when I don't need it to?" Yamamoto cussed quietly, pocketing the useless appendage. He continued his journey forward, unsure of exactly where to go since in every direction he looked, everything looked pretty much the same.

It had been a very long time since he had a dream. Especially dreams about his past. Yamamoto tilted his head, closing his eyes and still hearing the waves crashing around his head. He remembered that day. He remembered every day he'd experienced in his childhood. Those carefree moments living by the beach and watching the water wash up at the shore, seeing the world through the gap at the mouth of the cove he lived at. How long ago was it when he left his home? Five years? Ten years? Yamamoto pulled his hat down. How long was it since he'd seen his parents and shark man? It had been a very long time.

His boots slipped and the Pirate Lord yelped as he tumbled down a dip in the landscape he had not noticed. He rolled and rolled until finally coming to a halt at a more even surface in the land. Spitting sand out of his mouth and wiping his eyes, Yamamoto stood up again, annoyed.

"This is why I hate land!" he proclaimed out loud to no one in particular. The wind didn't even respond to him. The sand remained still at his feet. Yamamoto kicked at the powdery substance. He only managed to make little puffs of white scatter around him. It reminded the pirate of gunpowder. Absent-mindedly, he reached into the folds of his shirt to touch his chest. The bullet wound wasn't there. Yamamoto frowned and looked down, just in case. Nothing.

"Strange places I've been travelling to lately," he muttered to himself, starting to walk again. It had not been the first time Yamamoto had been shot. He'd been hit by the navy, by other pirates, and even by himself. There were scars on his arms and back, even with the scattered remains of a bullet still lodged in his thigh. Didn't bug him much though. His first memory of ever getting shot was when he accidentally woke his father up when the man was sleeping. There was a scar on his shoulder to remind him of that.

Yamamoto wandered on and on, tripping occasionally. He could see other strange shapes in the distance. There was a herd of animals running across the sand to his left, an active volcano appeared from behind the mountains, and for a moment, he saw a tall silhouette of a man pointing a gun at him. But on second glance, it was nothing more than a lone tree jutting out from the ground.

Yamamoto narrowed his eyes. Or was it?

The scene changed, and Yamamoto felt his jaw drop. It wasn't a tree. It was the tip of a mast. A mast from a _ship_.

His legs moved by themselves, and the Pirate Lord was stumbling awkwardly through the sand, running towards the familiar shape. As he ran, the land tilted downward, and within moments he came to a strange, valley-like hollow in the land, and resting on the white sand, was none other than the _Black Sun_.

Yamamoto exhaled slowly. Could this be real? Cautiously, he slid down the remaining portion of the hill, coming to a stop at the hull. The familiar smell of salt and seawater hit him the moment he got close, and Yamamoto closed his eyes as he inhaled deeply. This was his ship alright. Gently, Yamamoto reached out to run his fingers along the bottom of the ship, feeling the bumps and algae growing on the bottom. How long had it been since he could touch his ship? Second to Hibari and his mother, the _Sun_ was the only other thing he'd loved his whole life.

Wait.

Yamamoto snapped his eyes open. _Hibari_.

The memories were suddenly flooding back into his mind. Isle de Muta. Killing Reborn. Dino betraying them. Fighting with the navy. Commodore Gamma.

Yamamoto gritted his teeth. Damn that man! He'd almost killed Hibari with that shot of his!

Scrambling to the other side of his ship, Yamamoto located one of the many ropes dangling from the vast vessel. Latching on tightly, the pirate scaled up the side of the ship with practiced ease, landing with a thump onto the deck. He unsheathed his sword at once in case somebody else was on board, despite his instincts already telling him that there was no way there could be anybody here besides him. Wherever 'here' was.

Walking smartly up the deck, Yamamoto resumed his place at the wheel, running his fingers over the smooth appendage, unable to stop the small smile from gracing his features. Oh, how he'd missed his ship.

He wondered vaguely if Reborn would be in this limbo-like place. Did the other Pirate Lord die with the _Sun_ as well? Or would he be elsewhere? But more important things needed to be tended to right now. Firstly, how was he going to steer this bloody ship?

Yamamoto pursed his lips and drummed his fingers on the wheel. There was a method he could use…but would it work here? It couldn't hurt to try, would it? Closing his eyes again, the Pirate Lord reached deep into his subconscious, searching for all the memories of the sea he had.

The sounds of the waves. The gentle rocking of the sea. The smell of the salt, the wind in his hair—

A breeze suddenly brushed against his back. Yamamoto opened his eyes, ecstatic. It was working! He felt a familiar tug in his stomach, the pounding of his blood in his veins. Focusing all his power on the sensation, he willed for the sea to appear.

_Whoosh_.

From beneath the grounded _Sun_, the sand began to shudder and froth. Little streams of water suddenly shot out from the dry land, growing larger by the second. The little streams grew to rivulets, and the rivulets enlarged to geysers that flushed saltwater up from nowhere, flooding the land around the _Sun_. The ship tethered unsteadily, tipping from one side to the other as the water slowly began to fill the area. Yamamoto kept his hand steady on the wheel as the tugging feeling in his gut continued to grow more intense. Within moments, the _Black Sun_ was bobbing along the shallow water. Yamamoto peered over the edge of his ship to see the saltwater draining in a certain direction. Grinning, he turned the wheel to guide the vessel in that direction.

"So glad you're back, love," Yamamoto said dreamily, feeling his ship splash through the waves.

Now, if only he knew which direction he was going.

* * *

><p>The water frothed against the shores of the beach as Hibari stumbled ashore, spitting out seawater and shivering like a soaked cat. Gods, how he <em>hated<em> sailing.

"Brother! Are you alright?" I-pin gasped, helping the raven stand. She was soaked as well, her long hair plastered to her back. Hibari just nodded, not trusting himself to speak at the moment.

"Is everybody here?" Giotto called, stumbled out of the ocean as well, supporting Tsuna. All around them, the rest of the crew gave tired replies. Gokudera and Ryohei were crawling up to the beach with Mukuro and Lambo, who had both somehow gotten stuck in a patch of seaweed and was now sporting the slimy green plants all over them. Elena was staggering upright on the other side, her dress clinging to her and her blonde hair ragged from being tossed around.

"We've made it," she gasped, wringing water out of her clothes.

"To hell we have," Giotto snapped. "The _Vongola_ is gone!"

It was true. Their ship had completely shattered the moment they hit water, and even now, pieces of timber was slowly being washed up on shore, the remains of their trusty ship that had bravely served a good portion of their adventures for them thus far. Lambo made a scared noise in his throat.

"So we're stuck here now," Mukuro said dryly, pulling seaweed out of his hair.

Elena tilted her head, as though listening to something in the distance. "No, we won't be," she replied, a small smile gracing her features. "We're lucky that we arrived just in time to pick up a ride."

"What?" Gokudera snapped irritably, but Ryohei suddenly perked up and said, "Do you hear that to the extreme?"

They all went silent. For a moment, there was no sound but the soft splashes of the waves behind them, but then it came. A rumble in the distance.

"Earthquake?" Tsuna whimpered, clutching his brother's arm. Giotto frowned and cupped a hand to his ear. "No…" the blonde frowned. "Something sounds like its moving."

"It's heading his way!" Mukuro warned, and the crew stared fixedly at the small mound of sand in the distance. Barely a second later, something long and thin came into view.

"What's that?" Gokudera barked in shock. The stick-like thing grew longer, and longer, until—

"A mast!" I-pin gasped. "It's a ship!"

"Hieee?"

"Something's coming-!"

And it was in that moment that a ship appeared above the sand hill and _saltwater_ came rushing over the landscape towards them.

"Run!" Elena screamed. None of them needed to be told twice. Scrambling as fast as they could over the soft shore, the crew staggered to the side just as a huge wave washed over the area they had been moments ago, and the giant ship drifted calmly out into the real sea.

"What in the devil's name…?" Ryohei choked, clutching his heart.

"That's Reborn's ship!" Tsuna gasped. "The _Black Sun_! What is it doing here?"

Mukuro rounded on Elena. "Is this what you meant by our 'ride'?" he questioned, stunned. The woman nodded tiredly. "And if you look closely, the captain of the ship is also present.

"What?" Lambo squeaked.

"Reborn?" I-pin whispered, paling. Hibari drew out his tonfas at once, eyeing the figure at the wheel of the ship.

"I'm going to kill him."

"Agreed," Giotto said harshly, drawing out his sword. The other members of the crew took out their weapons as well, watching as the person at the wheel of the _Sun_ walked calmly off the platform and vanished to the other side of the ship.

"Where did he go?" Gokudera cried, confused.

"No, he's coming around," Ryohei said firmly.

The pirates stood with bated breath, hating not knowing where their foe was, when suddenly, a figure came running off the edge of the ship and swung towards them on a length of rope. Lambo screeched and Gokudera and Ryohei fired off several shots at the man flying towards them. They missed, and to their horror, their enemy landed smack in the middle of the crew.

"Damnation!"

"Get him!"

"Wait!" Elena said sharply, hurrying forward.

Hibari snapped to attention as the figure rose up, yanked his hat on back in place, strolled over to the raven and promptly yanked the shorter of the two towards him, crashing their lips together.

For a moment, nobody moved.

Hibari stood motionless, eyes wide and hands going slack. Then, I-pin jumped into action.

"GET OFF MY BROTHER!"

The young woman's foot swung out in a well-practiced kick and hit the man in the head, sending him sprawling backwards into the sand.

"Maa, maa, your sister's got excellent reflexes, Hibari."

I-pin gasped, her hands flying up to cover her mouth in shock. Gokudera and Ryohei both dropped their weapons in surprise. Giotto started forwards, his eyes wide and stuttered out, "Yamamoto!"

True to Giotto's word, Yamamoto Takeshi was seated at their feet, sand all over him and a bruise on his cheek from I-pin's fierce kick. He rubbed his jaw with a grimace and said lightly, "So the first thing you landlubbers do when you see your captain is shoot and kick him? Please to see you've got as much manners as them dogs in the navy."

"Yamamoto!" I-pin cried. "I'm so sorry!"

"I was kidding, miss," Yamamoto grinned, spitting blood out onto the sand. "Is your brother alright over there?"

"I think he's in shock," Tsuna muttered, blushing.

Hibari was standing in front of Yamamoto, a vein twitching in his temple as a positively dangerous aura began to surround him. "Herbivore…" he growled.

"Ne, Brother, let's not jump to conclusions!" I-pin said hastily, leaping in front of her sibling. "Don't go killing Yamamoto now after all the trouble we went through to come here!"

"Speaking of here, where am I?" Yamamoto asked cheerfully. Everybody hesitated to reply.

"Daemons' Locker," Elena spoke up from the back. All eyes turned to her. Yamamoto frowned. "You weren't in the crew last I check. Who may this damsel in distress be?"

"I'm more inclined to say that you are the one in distress, Yamamoto Takeshi," Elena said bluntly. "You're trapped in Daemon's Locker, and we basically sailed here to save _you_."

"Ah, but the way I see it, it seems to me that _I'm_ saving _you_," Yamamoto said smartly, grinning. "Judging by your drowned cat appearances, you've lost your ship, haven't you? After all the work it took for us to get the _Vongola_ too," he added mournfully, making Hibari huff at the memory of them in Port Cavallone.

Elena mouthed soundlessly at that, for once at lost for words. Yamamoto continued. "Since I'm the one with the ship, looks like you're the ones who need rescuing instead!" The crew ducked their heads to hide their grins and snickers. Apparently they had not been appreciating Elena bossing them around for the past three days and leaving Yamamoto's body in the cove.

"You don't seem to understand," she snarled. "I'm here solely because—"

"The Fates asked you to, right?" Yamamoto cut in, suddenly serious. Elena looked stunned. "How do you know that?"

"I've my ways, lady," Yamamoto said, standing up. On his feet, he was a full two feet taller than the woman, but Elena refused to back down. "But the things I learned from my many years in this trade, was that everybody almost _always_ has a secret to hide. Am I right?" he asked openly to the crew.

Hibari pursed his lips and Giotto gripped Tsuna's hand, but both Mukuro and Lambo looked away when Yamamoto spoke those words.

"I sense that you've got more than one dish waiting to be served, milady," Yamamoto addressed Elena calmly. "What could be your main purpose for helping my crew here?"

Elena tilted her chin to glare up at the Pirate Lord. "Convene the Circle of Seven," she warned. "Or the Age of the Pirates will fall."

"That sounds serious," Yamamoto said matter-of-factly, reaching into one of his many pockets to retrieve his pipe. "And what good would the Circle of Seven do?"

"The seven Pirate Lords together will have great power over the sea," Elena shot back. "You can destroy the East India Trading Company!"

"That might be hard," Yamamoto replied lightly, finding a box of matches and striking up a flame. "At the moment, I'm still dead, that bastard Reborn is definitely in hell, and I can inform you right now that one is missing, one is currently imprisoned in the Pirate's Grotto. As for the rest, may the devil be still smiling upon them; otherwise God would have struck them down already."

Elena looked furious. She clenched her fists and said angrily, "The Fates are on the move, Yamamoto. They won't stand by and watch the pirates fall. It would create a great imbalance in this world. There are ways to gather the active Lords and retrieve those who are imprisoned or missing. Besides," Elena continued, with the air of one pulling out their trump card, "if only one Lord is missing, the Pirate King can make the choice in their stead, no?"

The effect was simultaneous. Yamamoto's eyes widened, and then he paled, turning a frightening shade of white. The crew stared, and for a moment it looked as though the pirate was going to pass out. Hibari frowned and stalked up to Yamamoto, grabbing his face and turning his head to make the other to look at him.

"Oi, what's with you?"

"Nothing," Yamamoto mumbled, snapping out of his daze. He turned back to look at Elena, frowning at her. "You've got a deal. We're sailing out of here and we'll find the rest of the seven."

"Good," Elena said, smirking. "Mind if we board your ship then, captain?"

Yamamoto glared, jerking his head towards the _Sun_. "Hoist the sails, mate," he said, addressing the crew members. They nodded, responding with light-hearted "Aye cap'n!" and started to board the new vessel. Despite the tense situation earlier, it was obvious that they were all happy to see Yamamoto again.

"Why were you shaking like a herbivore just now?" Hibari asked irritably, appearing at the Pirate Lord's side. Yamamoto blinked and turned to look at the raven, raising an eyebrow.

"Why are you all wet?"

Hibari turned with a furious look on his face at Yamamoto, whipping out his tonfas in an instant. "Did you know," he snarled, "that it's _your_ fault that I've nearly drowned five times in a week than I have my whole goddamned life?"

"Really? I'm honored," Yamamoto replied, smiling as he reached out to wrap his long arms around Hibari's waist. Hibari stiffened, glaring at the taller. "Why did you kiss me, herbivore?"

Yamamoto paused, and then dropped his head down to rest his forehead on Hibari's shoulder. "I missed you, that's why," he said quietly. "I thought I wouldn't see you again."

"Tch. Useless." Hibari mumbled, casually patting Yamamoto's back. "If you couldn't handle leaving the living world, don't put yourself at risk then."

"Hibari," Yamamoto said suddenly, snapping back up to look at the raven seriously in the eye, "You're beautiful. Can I kiss you?"

_Wham_.

"Absolutely NOT!" Hibari snarled, watching Yamamoto reel back from his tonfa's strike.

Yamamoto managed a weak smile, rubbing his bruised chin in addition to his already bruised jaw. The Hibari siblings really had a way of injuring him badly. Reaching out, he grabbed Hibari's hand and pulled him towards the ship.

"Maa, maa, Kyoya, let's go. I promise I won't let you fall into the sea this time," Yamamoto said lightheartedly. Hibari scoffed, looking away, but he didn't shake Yamamoto's hand off.

And Yamamoto didn't let go.

* * *

><p>A word to my hubu, who also happens to be my 'editor': HAH. HAH. I MADE YOUR DEADLINE. I BEAT IT BY EXACTLY 26 HOURS. YOU MAD?<p>

Aaand I'm going to be killed. :'D Yamamoto's back, hooray! There was also a quick flashback to his past, hope you weren't too bored by that .

In any case, please comment! Thank you for reading!

-Blackstar


	10. Chapter 10

Thieves and Beggars

Here is Chapter Ten! Currently listening to Ima, Kono Toki by Kiiragi, the opening from Natsume Yuujinchou Shi. Slightly addicted :'D

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Ten<p>

It had been nine years since Yamamoto had touched his ship. Nine. Damned. Years. The Pirate Lord though that he was perhaps eligible to enjoy his time at the wheel after being separated from his precious vessel for so long, but apparently not everybody agreed with him.

Namely, Hibari Kyoya.

When was he ever going to be able to satisfy this guy?

"Herbivore, stop smiling like that. You look ridiculous." Hibari snapped, shoving the end of his tonfa against Yamamoto's cheek.

"Maa, maa, Hibari, why are you being so mean to me?" Yamamoto pouted, trying to steer even though his face was being pushed into an awkward ninety-degree tilt by the raven's weapon. Hibari huffed and kicked him in the shin. "Stop grinning like a maniac. It's only a ship."

"'It's only a ship'?" Yamamoto repeated weakly, clutching at his chest in mock horror. "Hibari, you've no idea how far back the _Sun_ and I go! The places we've been, the adventures we've faced, the hundreds of ships we've terrorized in our partnership!"

"Do I look like I care?" Hibari growled. "Shut up and steer."

"Hibari…" Yamamoto said slowly, "…are you jealous of my ship?"

Hibari stared at the dark-haired man, utter confusion on his face. "…what in the devil?"

"Are you jealous that I care about my wondrous vessel so much?" Yamamoto grinned, turning the wheel with practiced ease. "Maa, maa, Kyoya, that's sweet of you—umph!"

Hibari snarled something under his breath as Yamamoto slumped over the wheel, wheezing from a punch to the solar plexus. It was _painful_. "You're so mean, Kyoya," he mumbled weakly. Hibari rolled his eyes.

"Spare me, pirate. If you have enough energy to talk, then figure out a way for us to get out of here."

"Ah," Yamamoto sighed, glancing around him. "That I must agree on, aye."

They had a problem. While finding the way into Daemon's Locker had been dangerous (falling off the Edge of the World, what a ripping adventure), that was the least of their worries. Getting _out_ of Daemon's realm was the big issue now. Worse of all, Elena didn't know the way either.

"Then how the hell did you know how to get in?" Gokudera had cried out in disbelief. Elena huffed, crossing her arms.

"There's a difference, you know. Anyone can find an entrance, but once you're in a world that isn't your own, you aren't in the same place anymore. Even the simplest things change. Getting out is a completely different story."

That led them to their current predicament. Yamamoto had decided that sailing would be the best option, since they were bound to reach some form of destination eventually.

"No world is infinite," he'd said. "Everything has a beginning and an end, aye."

The compass was useless. All it did was point North. Not even Hibari holding it made a difference. Heck, Yamamoto had even told Elena to try it, but the needle stubbornly remained unmovable. They had sailed for several days and night already, but they had met virtually nothing. The waters were calm and there was only a slight, steady wind that kept them moving forwards. Tension was starting to climb on board. What if they never found a way out?

Yamamoto fixed his hat, leaning against the wheel. He knew that it was his duty as captain to find a solution to this, and fast. Judging by what Elena had told him about the outside world while he had been dead (even though it was only for about three days or so) the balance between the Pirates and the Government was tilting fast. Tired, the Pirate Lord dragged a hand over his face, exhaling irritably.

Huh. He was irritated.

Yamamoto Takeshi almost never really got upset. Things really were changing.

Yet, there was a very good reason why Yamamoto would do anything to keep the Age of the Pirates from coming to an end. It was no secret that the Ancient Arts of the sea was not known to the People of Land. If the East India Trading Company took over the waters of this world, many powerful spirits would be lost. Pirates are not always thieves or beggars. They too have role to play in the world, and Yamamoto would be damned if he saw narrow-minded people like Gamma take over the Seven Seas.

"Yamamoto?"

The Pirate Lord jerked out of his thoughts and turned to see I-pin and Tsuna standing next to him and Hibari.

"Aye, miss?" Yamamoto said, smiling. He reached out to ruffle Tsuna's hair. "What may I be assistance of?"

"We were curious," Tsuna spoke up. "What is the Circle of Seven?"

Yamamoto pursed his lips. "That's an interesting question. Why do you want to know?"

"It seems serious, that's all," I-pin said. "If the pirates in the world are going to be fight back, it seems like the Circle of Seven would be their leaders and captains."

"Aye, you're very correct there, miss," Yamamoto grinned. "Pirates have a government too, you know. The Circle of Seven consists of exactly what you think it's made of: seven Pirate Lords from the Seven Seas. Each of us represents our domain, and when a crisis is formed, we gather at a place known as the Waterless Cove."

"Where are the Pirate Lords from?" Tsuna asked curiously.

"Well, for starters, I'm the Pirate Lord of the Caribbean," Yamamoto answered. "That bastard Reborn, if I remember, is the Pirate Lord of the North Sea. From there on, the rest of the Seven comes from Beaufort Sea, the Black Sea, the Coral Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the South Asia Sea."

"South Asia?" Hibari cut in. Yamamoto nodded, turning the wheel. "Aye."

Hibari fell silent, pursing his lips.

"Where are the other Pirate Lords now?" I-pin asked. "Would we be able to assemble them in time?"

"We don't need to assemble them," Yamamoto chuckled. "If the Fates have actually sent out a representative to find us, then they would have found a way to call together the remaining seven."

"B-but, you're not complete," Tsuna said. "Reborn is dead, you're still dead, and you've mentioned one is missing and another is in prison. Will we have to find them or break the prisoner out?" Yamamoto chuckled.

"Curious kid, ain'tcha?" he asked. "I don't suppose that we might have to do a bit of head hunting if the other Pirate Lords haven't already found out missing ally, but we won't have to break into prison. We just need to convince the guards to let him out."

"A pirate convincing a guard?" Hibari asked. "You're dreaming, herbivore."

"It's not a normal jail, mind you," Yamamoto shot back. "The Pirate Grotto is what it sounds like: a prison for pirates, guarded by pirates. It's a special place for special pirates who've broken our Code."

"The Code?" I-pin questioned.

"Even the pirates have laws," Yamamoto answered. "The one who keeps our Code is the Pirate King. That's the reason why he has the power to stand in any one of the Pirate Lord's stead if they do not appear at the day of convention, or if they are incapable of voicing out their say."

"That's complicated," Tsuna mumbled.

Yamamoto threw back his head and laughed. "That's why you never get involved in underground politics, aye."

When the two felt that their questions had been answered, they bade Yamamoto and Hibari a quick goodbye before wandering back down to the hull to join the crew. Hibari watched his sister go with her new friend, frowning.

"Worried for her?" Yamamoto asked, smiling.

"Che. She's my sister. She doesn't need protecting like some herbivore."

"There are things that even you can't protect her against, Kyoya," Yamamoto warned quietly.

Hibari glared at him. "Shut up."

"Only telling the truth, mate."

Hibari fixed his vest in an annoyed manner. "If you have time to talk, try to get us out of this place, _captain_." With that, the raven jumped down the stairs and left Yamamoto to his own thoughts.

Absent-mindedly, Yamamoto pulled the gold coin out of his pocket, playing with it between his fingers. The metal was cold and smooth despite the sun bearing down on them, its weight and firmness a familiar comfort to the Pirate Lord. The dark-haired man leaned over the wheel again, turning the coin in his hand and staring at the well-known markings on the side. They were the usual sea blessings a pirate would be given. A sun and moon. Calm waves. The language of the ancient Sea Tongue etched on its surface, bidding the sailor luck and caution when sailing through dangerous waters and storms. Yamamoto grumbled and flicked the coin up into the air. They weren't in a storm or dangerous waters. So much for protection and luck.

The coin fell, and to Yamamoto's annoyance, missed his fingers and fell down to the deck below.

"Maa, maa…" he mumbled, leaving the wheel to retrieve the piece. However, as Yamamoto approached the fallen trinket, a strange sight greeted him.

The coin was resting on its edge, balanced perfectly on the thin rim of the circular object. It hadn't fallen on the flat side like a normal coin would. Confused, Yamamoto picked up his coin and tossed it up again, letting it fall. The coin went up, fell, and with a thump, landed on its edge again. Bemused, the Pirate Lord frowned. Why was it doing that?

Unsheathing his sword, Yamamoto tossed that up too. The blade flashed in the air before landing right on its point. Leaning down, the pirate raised an eyebrow when he saw that the sword wasn't stuck into the wood of the deck, but rather, balanced perfectly on its point.

Yamamoto yanked out his dagger. The same result was achieved. So did his hunting knife. Yamamoto was tossing his pistol up when something hard and cold smashed into the back of his head. It was Hibari's tonfa.

"What the devil are you doing, idiot?" the raven hissed in annoyance.

"Hibari! Give me your tonfa!" Yamamoto said at once, yanking the weapon out of a shocked Hibari's hand and tossing it up. At once, the long silver rod fell and landed upright, just like the rest of the objects Yamamoto had thrown. Why was it doing that?

Yamamoto paused. For a moment, he thought back to what Elena had said before.

_Once you're in a world that isn't your own, you aren't in the same place anymore. Even the simplest things change._

But what did the coin, the swords, and Hibari's tonfas have in common? What was the reason for them to fall and land on a point that they were least likely to fall on?

Yamamoto's eyes widened. _The least likely_.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

He spun around and grabbed Hibari's incoming punch to his face, the weight of his realization taking precedence before the raven's violent nature. "I've got it, Hibari!"

"What?" the raven snarled, glaring at him. Yamamoto only grinned and ran down into the hull, where the rest of his crew was (minus Mukuro, who was in the crow's nest like always, and Elena, who never interacted with them).

"Gokudera, Ryohei, I'll be needing you two down a level," Yamamoto said, all smiles now. The two pirates looked at each other, surprised. Giotto put down his tankard of rum and said, "What's going on, Yamamoto?"

"You'll see, mate," Yamamoto replied. Gokudera and Ryohei glanced at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and placed down their food or drinks and followed their captain to the next level of the ship, where the canons were.

"What do you need, cap'n?"

"A small favour, mate. I need ye to turn these canons towards the floor."

"Eh?" Both Gokudera and Ryohei looked puzzled, but did what they were asked to anyway. Once two canons were pointed to the floor, Ryohei wiped his brow and turned to Yamamoto. "Captain, what did you need these to the extreme for—WHOA!"

Flicking out a match, Yamamoto lit the loaded canons without hesitation, and with an almighty blast, set off the weapon at the hull of his own ship.

"Cap'n! What in the devil's name are you doing?" Gokudera shrieked, coughing through the dust. A second later, the sound of another canon went off and more smoke filled the hull.

"What's going on?"

The others had come crashing down into the area, alerted by the smoke and sounds.

"Captain just fired out canons into the ship TO THE EXTREME!"

"What?" Giotto gasped, flabbergasted. "Yamamoto! What are you doing?"

"What I would least likely do!" Yamamoto grinned, emerging from the smoke only to set yet another canon off.

"We'll sink!" Tsuna cried out. Yamamoto blew out the match and beamed at his crew, who stared back the Pirate Lord like he'd just proclaimed that he was going to marry Commodore Gamma.

"Aye, we would sink."

Giotto groaned, slapping a hand over his face. Was this what _his_ prophecy was? Place his trust twice in blackened hands, or something?

"If we were in the real world, that is."

All eyes turned to Yamamoto, who smiled encouragingly back before moving up onto the deck. Bemused, the crew followed, coughing at the smoke still wafting up. On deck, Yamamoto was suddenly confronted by Mukuro and Elena. Mukuro looked spooked, while Elena looked impressed against her will.

"Captain! Something's happening to the sea!"

"Aye," Yamamoto replied, fixing his hat. "Just the way it's supposed to."

"What?" Mukuro asked, confused, but Elena only shrugged her shoulders and addressed Yamamoto. "So you figured out a way to get out."

"Indeed," Yamamoto said. "I chose the least likely scenario, and an equally least likely result occurred."

"Will you tell me exactly what the devil you're up to?" Hibari snarled, grabbing Yamamoto's collar. "Are you trying to drown us all?"

"Patience, Kyoya," Yamamoto said lightly. "Watch the sea first."

The crew turned, stunned, as the scene began to unfold before their eyes. The water was draining out, being sucked into some point below the ship. The _Black Sun_ creaked as the movement of the seawater began to tug them down as well. It was turning into a whirlpool.

"We're being sucked in!"

"What's going on?"

"Hang on to something!" Yamamoto warned, and the crew, wondering if they were ever going to get used to diving for stationary objects at the last second, latched on to ropes, pillars, and the rails as fast as they could. A second later, there was a massive groan as the _Sun_ started to turn with the motion of the water spinning downwards. The spinning motion gained momentum, and now they were falling faster, faster, and faster. The wall of water rose up around them like trees growing at an alarming rate, and there was a heavy thump as the ship suddenly hit solid rock.

They were at the bottom of the ocean.

"What in the devil's name is this?" Gokudera yelled in shock.

"The water's coming down!" Elena warned, and the next second, the sea collapsed on them. Everything was doused in sea water, the waves nearly tearing the crew from their hold on the ship, and almost as quickly as they had fallen, they surfaced.

The _Black Sun_ burst triumphantly from the waves, drenched up completely undamaged. Hibari was the first to recover from the shock, spitting out a liberal amount of seawater from his mouth before tackling Yamamoto to the ground, furious.

"What is wrong with you? Why can't you ever be normal?" he snarled, shaking the Pirate Lord. Yamamoto laughed easily, actually having the nerve to reach out and ruffle Hibari's wet hair.

"Maa, maa, I'll tell you, don't worry," Yamamoto said calmly. "But in case it slips my mind, I'm pleased to say, as your captain, we've successfully arrived back into the human world."

Hibari stared. "What…?"

"Look!" Tsuna cried suddenly, grabbing his older brother's arm. "Land! In the distance!"

Giotto turned and his eyes widened as well. "You're right…we have made it back…" he murmured in awe. "Yamamoto, how did you do it?"

The Pirate Lord reached into his pocket and pulled out his coin, flipping it into the air before letting it fall on the deck. The gold coin hit the floor, did a small spin, then landed flat on its side. Yamamoto grinned.

"Aye, this is what got me the idea," he indicated, holding up the coin. "When I dropped this on deck, I noticed that it had landed on its edge, which almost never happens. When I tried again, I realized that it was no coincidence; the coin was _always_ landing on its edge. Same as me swords, and Hibari's tonfas. They all landed on a point they were _least likely _to fall on, so I figured out one thing: in Daemon's Locker,it wasn't our real world anymore. Even the simplest things change, making the least likely result the most possible one. Which means that if I try to sink our ship, instead of drowning and dying, the possibility of us slipping past death and remerging in the human world became the only option, for we couldn't die in the land of the dead. Meaning, the only way left to go was back into the world of the living!"

The crew listened with their jaws hanging open. Yamamoto had figured all that out from a coin falling the wrong way?

"Insane," Mukuro mumbled, running a hand through his hair. Lambo nodded in agreement. Yamamoto only laughed.

"Aye, mate. But I suggest we start sailing now. It's almost nightfall, and it's best if we find a familiar course before we get lost at sea again."

The crew bustled into action, wringing water out of their shirts as they took to their stations, pleased to be back in the real world rather than sailing endlessly in some unknown world. The Pirate Lord turned to Hibari, who was irritably shaking his vest dry.

"Maa, maa, Hibari, sorry about that," Yamamoto apologized, snaking his arms around Hibari's thin waist from behind. The raven stiffened at once, spinning around to glare daggers at Yamamoto.

"I'm going to bite you to death," he snapped.

"Don't be mad now, mate," Yamamoto laughed. "The important thing is that we're back, right?"

Hibari ran a hand through his wet hair, huffing. "Our goal was to bring you back. It doesn't really matter if any of us returned anyway, since we're not the ones fighting the navy for freedom."

"I know," Yamamoto mumbled, leaning forwards to rest his chin against Hibari's shoulder. "But none of the crew belongs in Daemon's Locker. That is not their fate, and seemingly, nor was it mine."

Hibari paused and thought back to Yamamoto's prophecy. _Fight thrice in the sea and descend to the sands below_. "So that female herbivore was right," he grumbled, shrugging Yamamoto's chin off his shoulder to look the Pirate Lord in the eye. "You weren't meant to die at Isle de Muta."

"Nay," Yamamoto agreed. Hibari bit his lip and thought back to his own prediction by the fates. _Lose what you love twice and recover it once_. Yamamoto had been saved…but did that mean the next person he lost, he would lose them forever?

"Ne, Kyoya, you're quiet," Yamamoto observed. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Hibari shot back, but Yamamoto grabbed his hand.

"Kyoya, really, what's the matter?"

It was rare to see the dark-haired man so serious, and Hibari's resolve weakened. He reluctantly told Yamamoto which part of the prophecy had been fulfilled. Yamamoto listened with undivided attention. When Hibari finished, the Pirate Lord rubbed his chin, thinking things over.

"Well, at least you do know that prophecies can come true. But like I've said before, it's not good to keep them over ye heart. It'll only make you sick."

"Che. All this _herbivore business_ is making me sick," Hibari grumbled. "This ship is too crowded. I vote we toss a couple of them overboard."

"Now, now, there's no need to do that!" Yamamoto laughed, lacing their fingers together. "Learn to enjoy the spirit of a crew, Hibari. It'll make you smile more."

"Idiot."

"But you love this idiot," Yamamoto replied cheerfully. "Otherwise, why would you have referred me as one of the "loves" you've lost?"

For a moment, Hibari looked like he might throw Yamamoto off his own ship, but then the raven surprised the Pirate Lord by simply shrugging and standing on tiptoe to press a small kiss to Yamamoto's mouth. "If you die, herbivore, I'll bring you back to life so I can personally kill you again, you understand?"

Yamamoto stood still, and then broke out into a laugh. "Aye, aye. As you insist. Though personally, I have no wish to enter Daemon's Locker again."

"Is that so?"

The Pirate Lord froze. Hibari stopped, confused, and then caught sight of a person standing behind the dark-haired pirate. Standing behind Yamamoto was man a man with dark blue hair and equally dark blue eyes. He was wearing what a long black coat with various pins and emblems on it, a loose white shirt, pants and boots. He was even taller than Yamamoto, and he had several earrings in his ear. However, barely visible under the wide collar of his shirt was a mark on his chest like Hibari's.

But this man's mark wasn't well-defined like the raven's spidery coin image. It was a huge scar that looked as though a giant claw had stabbed him multiple times in the chest and had never healed properly. A sudden shudder passed through the _Sun_. Hibari wanted to grab his tonfas and smash the intruder's head in, but suddenly, his arms couldn't move.

What was this feeling?

_Fear_.

Pure, uncontrolled, fear.

In an instant, the blue-haired man reached out and grabbed Yamamoto by the neck, slamming the Pirate Lord into the side of the ship. Yamamoto staggered upright, drawing his sword, but the intruder that had mysteriously appeared on their ship unsheathed a long, ornate sword with a blade that seemed to change colours in the sunlight. With a swift strike, he blocked Yamamoto's blade and punched the dark-haired man in the face, making Yamamoto spit out blood. The crew was in an uproar at once.

"Who's that?"

"There's somebody on the ship!"

Gokudera, Giotto, Ryohei, and I-pin had all rushed forwards, but Yamamoto turned and bellowed, "DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

"He's right, you know," the blue-haired man added, appearing behind Yamamoto from nowhere and slammed the pirate to the ground, choking him with one hand. "I'm only here for him. If any of you intrude, I'll kill you."

"As if!" Hibari snarled, snapping out of his frozen state and drew his tonfas.

"Hibari, don't!" Yamamoto gasped, struggling to wrench the attacker's hands off him.

"Wise words, Pirate Lord," the man said. "So _die_."

The colour-changing sword was raised, and the intruder brought the weapon down on Yamamoto. Hibari shouted, "_No_!" as the crew cried out, "Captain!", but the tip of the sword never hit its mark. The intruder was suddenly forced to leap backwards as a small silver dagger came flying at him, missing the man by a hair's width. The slightly curved knife struck the wall of the cabin, embedding itself in the wood, and the blue-haired man turned slowly to look at the person who had thrown the weapon.

It was Elena.

"What—?" the man hissed, standing.

"Begone, monster," Elena said coldly. "There is no place for you here abroad the _Sun_."

"The same could be said for you," the man retorted, barely controlling his fury at the sight of the woman. "What be of your fate, mistress?"

"Go back to your realm," Elena snapped. "Go back to your Locker!"

"Locker?" Gokudera gasped. "You can't be—you're not—you're Daemon?"

"Aye," a voice from the floor said suddenly, and in an instant, Yamamoto had his sword against Daemon's throat. "This is indeed to Ferryman. Or the _Fallen_ Ferryman, I should say."

Daemon growled, but made no move to push Yamamoto away. "I came to retrieve my property. Yamamoto Takeshi, you have died at sea and passed on to the next world. You have no business being in the human domain."

"I didn't pass on anywhere," Yamamoto sneered. "_You_ didn't ferry me across to the Underworld, so I am in no way any part of your property."

"You existence is causing a disturbance between the worlds already! You are going to start a war, Yamamoto Takeshi, and because of you, the Age of the Pirates will fall!"

"No," Yamamoto said calmly. "I will lead the pirates into war, and we will emerge victorious."

Daemon sneered. "Childish dreams. I will warn you now, if you do not surrender yourself back into the Locker, I will become your enemy very, very soon."

Yamamoto frowned. "I will not go back."

Daemon opened his mouth to speak, but was suddenly interrupted by Elena. "Do not listen to him, Yamamoto," she said angrily. "He will be your enemy whether you return with him or not. Daemon has sided with the Navy in an attempt to destroy the pirates."

The crew gasped. Hibari snarled in irritation and rounded on Daemon. "Why the devil would you join forces with those rats? Have you got no pride?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Elena cut in. "He's being _threatened_."

Yamamoto glared at Daemon. "You're a fool to let yourself become ensnared with the navy."

"We shall see," Daemon retorted, but he looked furious now. It seemed as though Elena's words had hit a mark. "Excuse me while I take my leave."

Yamamoto's eyes narrowed and he grabbed for the man, but suddenly, Daemon was vanishing into violet-coloured particles. "Coward!"

"We'll see, Yamamoto Takeshi," Daemon said as his body continued to disintegrate, "But if you must know, the area you are sailing in is _my_ territory. That means that you are my prey."

Yamamoto's eyes widened.

"You—"

"Attack!" Mukuro suddenly hollered from the crow's nest. There was the wound of multiple canons being fired off, and the _Sun_ was unexpectedly struck by several cannonballs. The force of the blows made the ship rock, sending the crew falling to their knees.

"Where are they coming from?" Giotto yelled.

"I don't see a ship!" Mukuro cried.

"Are they hidden?" Lambo whimpered, shaking.

"Nufufufu," Daemon chuckled. "Yamamoto will inform you all then, yes? Until the next time we meet…I bid you all a fond farewell, hopeless ones." With those words, he vanished completely. Yamamoto swore loudly, spitting blood out.

"Damnation! Prepare the canons!"

"Aye!" Gokudera and Ryohei responded, and both them, Giotto and Lambo dove for the hull. Hibari ran up to Yamamoto at once.

"What the hell was that?" he snarled. Yamamoto only shook his head. "Brace yourself," the Pirate Lord warned. "Daemon's ship is fast approaching."

"There's nothing out there!" Tsuna cried.

"On the surface, no," Yamamoto growled, "but underwater…"

As if on cue, the sea suddenly began to churn. The water bubbled rapidly, almost foaming, and from the depths of the ocean, a ship burst from the waves, speeding horizontally up into the air before landing upright with a fierce splash and sent waves sweeping up onto the deck of the _Sun_.

"What is that?" I-pin yelled.

"Daemon's ship," Yamamoto answered grimly. "The _Spade_."

"What the devil are we supposed to do now?" Hibari snarled, holding up his tonfas.

"We run," Yamamoto replied shortly, running up to the wheel. "We run away, very, very, very fast."

"Get yourself out of these waters at once," Elena added. "Once we leave Daemon's territory, he will lose a great amount of his power. But be wary of him. That doesn't mean he'll be totally defenseless."

"Good to know," Hibari snapped, pushing the woman out of the way. "On that note, how do _you_ know he's being threatened? Or were you simply bluffing?"

Elena suddenly reached out to grab Hibari's arm. "You know what Daemon's greatest weakness is, Hibari?" she hissed. "His _heart_. There's an old song the spirits of the sea once sang in honor of the Ferryman's sacrifice.

_He who sends those who're lost  
>Back to the realm others have sought<br>Over and under and over again  
>He who gave his heart is named the Ferryman<br>He who sails and delivers fate's plans  
>Once in ten years will travel to land<br>Where he wills his heart is kept  
>Take his heart, and yours must be left<br>Until the next Ferryman sails the seas again_."

"Nice rubbish," Hibari snarled. "That's a great help, if we know where the damned heart is!"

"Don't you get it?" Elena asked in exasperation. "The Navy has Daemon's heart! That's why he's siding with them! If they take his heart, he'll die!"

"Then what good will that do us?" I-pin cried.

"Nothing," Elena replied, actually looking upset. "We have to find a way to destroy the navy, and then Daemon will be killed as well."

"Which direction are we sailing, Elena?" Yamamoto shouted.

"Southeast!" the woman called back. "Hurry, before they get within range again!"

"That I know," Yamamoto replied through gritted teeth, turning the wheel. The _Black Sun_ shuddered as she sailed smoothly through the waters, closely pursued by the _Spade_. Daemon was close, but not close enough to hit them with a cannonball every time they shot. Sailing for their lives, the crew of the _Sun_ shot back as often as they could, and the occasional bullet would fly here and there.

"Beyond the land formation there!" Elena screamed. "That's the boundary line!"

And then, for the second time that day, another ship appeared from beyond the tiny islands.

It was the _Millifore_.

It was Commodore Gamma's ship.

"What the hell?" Mukuro shouted from the crow's nest. "Captain! It's the navy!"

"Damn it!" Yamamoto cussed. "Hibari, I-pin! Get the rifles!"

"Did Daemon call them here?" Tsuna cried out in shock.

"I don't know, but that's not the issue right now," Yamamoto called back, banking hard to the left. "I can't shake off two enemies easy, mate!"

"Elena!" I-pin screamed, suddenly rounding on the woman. "Can't you get us out of here?"

"What?" Elena asked, startled.

"You're transported us to a completely different part of the sea before," I-pin urged. "We can't be caught here!"

"I—that's—I was on orders!" Elena cried. "I can't just do as I please!"

"Damnation, you'll be the end of us all!" Hibari shouted, shoving a rifle into Tsuna's hands and tossing one to I-pin. "If you can get us out, do it now, or I'll bite you to death!"

Elena looked as though she was struggling with herself for a moment, but then rounded on Takeshi. "Get your crew up here at once!"

Tsuna jumped for the trapdoor to call for the others as the navy's cruiser started to open fire on them too. Yamamoto winced as the bullets left marks in the upholstery and embedded themselves into the rails.

"Stop blowing holes in my ship!"

The crew scrambled onto the deck, covered in dust and ash. "What's going on?" Giotto yelled.

"We're getting out of here," Elena said. "Grab on to something _now_!"

There was the familiar sensation of the ship coming to a shuddering stop, and the waves were suddenly ten feet high, surrounding the _Sun_, and with an almighty splash, swallowed the vessel in one go, just as it had done before.

Abroad both the _Spade_ and the _Millifore_, two furious voices could be heard calling the name of the pirate that had escaped their clutches yet again.

* * *

><p>When the <em>Sun<em> broke through the surface of the water, they were not in the middle of nowhere like last time.

Surrounding the ship were many smaller boats, many which had tipped when the _Sun_ rose from the depths of the sea. The sailors in the boats were shouting and yelling in shock at the sudden appearance of a giant vessel.

"Why are there so many people around us?" Giotto coughed.

"So many boats!" Lambo cried. "We overturned them too."

"Where are we?" Yamamoto asked Elena, shaking water out of his hair and keeping a very seasick Hibari upright.

"I—I don't know," Elena said, apparently just as confused. "This place wasn't where I intended to send us."

"Then why are we here?" Gokudera asked, wringing water out of his shirt.

Elena pressed her lips together. "While I was thinking of our destination, something intercepted with my spell," she replied. "But it was not an ill will against us. Somebody sent us here for a reason."

"But _where_ are we to the extreme?" Ryohei asked.

"We should dock," Giotto said to Yamamoto. "Get provisions and figure out where the hell we are."

"Aye," Yamamoto called down from the wheel. "We're almost in the harbor already."

The _Black Sun_ slowly sailed towards the docks, where a group of people had gathered at the sides, staring at them as they glided in. After being hunted by so many enemies for such a long time, the crew was rather jumpy and had their nerves worn down to the end. The growing mass of onlookers just wasn't helping at all. When Yamamoto steered the _Sun_ to a halt at the moorings, one of the men below them grabbed their rope to tie their ship down.

"My thanks," Yamamoto called out casually.

Slowly, the crew gathered their things and lowered the plank onto the docks. The crowd silently made space for them as the group slowly made their way onto dry land. Yamamoto helped Hibari off, whom the Pirate Lord noted, looked extremely pleased to see solid ground again. He made a mental note of exactly how badly Hibari hated water.

"What now?" Gokudera asked. "Cap'n?"

"We'll have to find somewhere to stay," Yamamoto replied. "I don't know where we could, though. We'll have to walk around."

"What if the navy comes?" Lambo whispered, looking frightened.

"I'll kill them if I see their faces again," Giotto snarled, looking annoyed.

"You do not have to worry. The navy will not enter these parts."

The entire crew jumped as a voice suddenly sounded from the crowd gathered around them. Yamamoto's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, kind sir?" he called out, trying to locate the speaker.

"I meant that you are safe here, Pirate Lord. You do not have to worry of your enemies finding you here for a long time."

Yamamoto frowned at once, hand going to his sword. Giotto, however, abruptly turned and said unexpectedly, "That voice. I know that voice."

"Indeed."

The crowd parted, and standing before the crew was an Asian man dressed in red traditional Chinese robes. He had long, raven black hair that was tied into a neat braid, but had soft bangs that fell over his onyx eyes. As he stood before them, Giotto's jaw dropped in shock and Yamamoto said in incredulity, "This…cannot be…"

I-pin was frozen on the spot, her eyes wide as saucers. Hibari stood just as still, the expression on his face a mixture of astonishment and utter disbelief. When he spoke, it was the first time anybody had heard Hibari Kyoya stammer.

"Y-you…you're…"

The man before them bowed low, his eyes glittering the same way Hibari's did when he knew something others didn't, but at the same time, looked regretful the way I-pin's did when she had left Dino at Isle de Muta.

"My name is Fon, Pirate Lord of the South Asia Sea. Welcome to China."

* * *

><p>Fon's here! This chapter is in celebration to the Adult!Fon's appearance in Chapter 371 of the manga. Maa, maa, things are finally starting to get interesting~! In any case, thank you for reading! Reviews are very much appreciated.<p>

-BlackStar


	11. Chapter 11

Thieves and Beggars

I think my house is haunted or something. I've been working downstairs for several days now, and during the night, everything goes haywire. My power has stopped twice already and my fish keep splashing around in their tank. Weeeird. Sigh.

Ghost-san, if you're lonely or something, I can talk to you, I guess. Just please don't delete all the files on my laptop. If you do, you might start seeing me around as an undead spirit as well, mainly 'cause I'll kill myself if that ever happened. TT^TT

Here is Chapter Eleven! And, mainly because I'm scared to death when I'm alone at night, this chapter is for you, Ghost-san. Please don't kill me.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eleven<p>

The silence surrounding the crew and Fon grew steadily more stunned and uncomfortable as those who once knew the man gaped in shock while those who had never seen him before looked confused. Fon, meanwhile, simply smiled and bowed low again, sweeping an arm out behind him.

"However, while the East India Trading Company will not venture into this area, I cannot guarantee that Daemon will not. Yes," he added, smiling a little more at the surprised look on the crew's faces, "I know that you are being pursued. Therefore, I'd think it's safe to say that we moved indoors before we continue this conversation, yes?"

Wordlessly, Yamamoto nodded, looking like he still couldn't believe what he was seeing. Giotto cast a sidelong glance at the Hibari siblings. I-pin looked as though she was going to cry or faint, but Hibari had a deadpan look on his face. A muscle in his jaw was twitching.

Fon turned gracefully and led the crew through the gap the crowd had parted, taking them up a narrow street surrounded by small, dingy shops. The sky was clouded that day, making the little seaside town look greyer and downer than usual. There were noodle shops, vegetable stands, a hell of a lot of fish farmers, but there were also some rather strange dwellings. One store sold monkeys that screeched like rabid animals as they passed while another offered various forms of fortune telling. Everybody casually avoided that shop.

They walked up the street, where more people came out to watch them, but nobody made a sound. Nobody pointed at them and not a single word was uttered. The only things that could be heard were the sounds of the sea lapping against the shores, the creaking of the wooden signs hanging from the stores and the shutters banging against the walls.

"What is this place?" Yamamoto asked Fon quietly. The Asian Pirate Lord folded his arms together neatly under his robe, glancing around him.

"This place is known as Sea Snake Village. Since the olden days, there had been a snake demon in the form of a woman that kept on attacking the villagers, frightening them into silence. Fortunately, the demon was defeated some time ago, but the villagers remained very quiet people."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow and loped his long arms behind his head, leaning back to check out the gloomy and shabby looking buildings around them. "How was the battle against the demon then, Fon? Did you get a good kick out of it?"

Fon paused. "She was strong," he replied. "But not my match. However, I would not deny that the demon put up a good fight." Fon shook back one of his sleeves momentarily, showing Yamamoto two large puncture marks on his left arm.

"That's interesting, mate."

"Indeed," Fon agreed in his usual light-hearted tone, leading them up to a large house at the end of the road. It was about twice the size of the average building around them, painted neatly in a dark shade of red. As the group neared, they realized that it was a temple, though a very run-down one at it. A group of monks and priestesses were pruning the drooping flowers at the yard. When they saw Fon, the all bowed deeply in respect.

Fon bowed in return, walking up to the giant double doors and removing a key from the folds of his robes. Inserting it into the rusted keyhole, he turned the key and the doors creaked open loudly.

It was dark and musty in the temple, and smelled strongly of incense, firewood, earth and rain. The floors groaned loudly under the weight of the group as they continued to follow Fon down large hallways with low ceilings. It was rather cramped and slightly claustrophobic.

"This is where we eat," Fon said, sliding open a set of rickety doors to reveal a small dining hall set up with four long tables, each with around twenty chairs surrounding it. "Please, rest here while I notify the kitchens of your arrival."

Yamamoto gestured his crew around the table, and they all lowered their weapons onto the surface of the eating area or onto the floor around them. Yamamoto took a seat at the right hand side of the head of the table. Hibari sat down next to him, followed by I-pin. Giotto took the seat to the left with Tsuna. The rest of the crew found their own seats. Not a word was exchanged the pirates since their arrival onto the shores of Sea Snake Village. The silence was contagious.

About five minutes later, Fon came back, carrying a tray of steaming teacups with two other monks following behind him, also with tea. The drinks were set down before the crew, and Fon bowed to his helpers, who returned the gesture and left while the Pirate Lord sat down before the crew of the _Sun_.

"Well, then," he said calmly. "Where shall we get started?"

"Why are you here?" Hibari cut in at once.

Everybody turned to stare at him, and Yamamoto ran a hand tiredly over his face. This was going to be complicated. Fon sat still for a moment, blowing softly on his hot tea before answering, "This temple is my home. As the Pirate Lord of the South Asia Seas, I look after my territory from this place with the help of the kind monks and priestesses who live here."

"H-how long have you been here then, f-father?" I-pin whispered, staring at Fon. Heads turned in shock towards the young woman, then to Fon, and then back. The Chinese man pressed his lips together, placing his cup down.

"I've been living here for about ten years now, I-pin. Admittedly, I regret to say that I did not realize how much time had been stolen away from me while I was away from my children. Both you and Kyoya are so much older already. I would have hardly been able to recognize the two of you had you not been travelling with Yamamoto or Giotto."

"Shut up."

Heads all turned to Hibari as the raven suddenly stood up, knocking his chair back. He whipped his tonfas out from his jacket, looking murderous. I-pin jumped up too, saying, "Brother!" but Hibari ignored his sister's outburst and addressed Fon, who looked calmly up at his son.

"Don't act like you know us, herbivore. You've been gone for more than ten years. You disappeared when I was six. Where did you go? Why didn't you come back for us or Mother? Why'd you leave me with that damned curse while you ran off to become the Pirate Lord?"

Hibari was shouting by the end of his sentence, the sound of his voice similar to a hammer swinging onto glass in the usually silent temple. He glared fiercely at Fon, tonfas clutched in his hand. The elder Hibari stood up, folding his sleeves together and answered quietly, "I did it for your own safety. It was wrong of me to pass the curse onto you, Kyoya, but at the time, if I didn't run away pretending to have the last coin, Reborn would have killed you, your Mother, and I-pin."

"So you ran like a coward," Hibari hissed.

"Better you think of me as a coward rather than me losing you," Fon answered in an even voice. "That's all the matters to me."

Hibari trembled in rage. Suddenly, he leapt onto the table and charged Fon down. I-pin shrieked for her brother to stop and the rest of the pirates yelled in shock, but Fon simply raised his teacup and splashed his hot tea at Hibari. Hibari ducked, barely avoiding getting a face full of burning liquid, and lashed out with his tonfas. Fon gracefully leant backwards, dodging the strike and achieving a near perfect back arch without even having to plant his hands down on the floor. He snapped himself upright just as fast, grabbing the empty teacup and turning the hollow side out just as Hibari slammed the end of his tonfa towards Fon's face, effectively catching the butt of the weapon in the teacup.

"Hear me out, will you, Kyoya?" Fon asked quietly, looking up at his son standing on the table, his hand shaking slightly with the effort of keeping Hibari's tonfa from smashing into his nose. "I'm not the villain you make me out to be."

"In your dreams, herbivore," Hibari retorted, yanking his tonfa out of the cup and brought the one in his other hand down to Fon's head. Fon shook his sleeve back in one swift movement and caught the end of the tonfa with his bare hands. Twisting his wrist, the Pirate Lord released the teacup from his hold, grabbed Hibari's arm and dragged the raven right off the table. Using the extended tonfa as leverage, Fon pushed Hibari right over his head and sent his son flying across two tables, smashing into the wall on the other end of the room. A second later, the sound of the teacup shattering on the floor could be heard.

There was a stunned silence.

Fon had just wasted Hibari during the time span it took for his teacup to fall two feet and break on the floor.

That was the scariest thing any member of the crew had seen before.

"Kyoya, stop acting so rashly," Fon said quietly, folding his hands into his robes. "That was always one of your faults. You never liked to think before indulging in violence."

On the other side of the room, Hibari staggered to his feet, a trickle of blood running down his face as he grabbed his tonfas. "You're in no position to tell me what my faults are, bastard. You haven't been around enough to know!"

Fon actually sighed in slight exasperation. "Kyoya—"

"SHUT UP!" Hibari bellowed, smashing the table in front of him in half and running down the length of the room at his father. Fon dropped his sleeves again, raising his hand, onyx eyes narrowing as he prepared to strike as well. Yamamoto jumped up at once. Giotto whirled around and shouted, "Fon, Hibari, stop this at once—!"

_Wham_.

In the middle of the room was Hibari, his tonfas up, and Fon, his fist extended, but neither of the Hibari men made contact with each other. Standing between them was Yamamoto and I-pin, blocking both Hibari and Fon from each other. Yamamoto had his sword against Hibari's tonfas, and I-pin was in a defensive stance, her father's fist trapped between her block.

"Maa, maa, this is getting far too complicated." Yamamoto said lightly, but the steely glint in his eye spoke otherwise. He looked slightly ticked off. "We're not here to break each other's bones before we run into the navy, aye?"

"Yamamoto is right," I-pin said firmly. "Father, Brother, stop fighting his instant."

"Che. Get out of my way, herbivore," Hibari snapped, pressing down on Yamamoto's blade. The Pirate Lord of the Caribbean shook his head, pushing back.

"Belay that, Hibari. This isn't going to get us anywhere."

Fon sighed and relaxed, bringing his sleeves back down. "I apologize, I-pin, Kyoya. It seems that I've got a bit of a temperamental streak as well."

"Tch," Hibari snapped, releasing his tonfas, looking very much like a lion that had just watched his prey snatched from under their nose. "Do what you like, herbivores. I'm not staying here." With those words, Hibari turned on his heel and kicked the door down, storming down the hall. The crew could hear him break down a wall and thumping all the way outside.

"My, my," Fon said mildly. "He's going to destroy my house."

"I'll watch him, Fon," Yamamoto said lightly, sheathing his sword. "I think the shock of seeing you again was just too much for him."

"I agree," Fon answered with a small bow. "I'll leave him up to you then, Yamamoto. You seem to have come into better terms with him than I have." There was a strangely knowing glint in the elder Hibari's dark eyes that Yamamoto had a slight suspicion of knowing the cause behind it, but brushed off the thought and simply walked through the broken door after the furious raven.

Fon watched him go, indulging in his own thoughts for a short second before turning and smiling at the crew as though there hadn't been a death match between him and his son ten seconds ago.

"Well, I suppose you're all tired. Why don't I bring you to your rooms?"

The crew shuddered at the peaceful smile. There was no doubt in their minds that Fon was Hibari's father. Only a demon like that could have ever raised a kid like Hibari.

* * *

><p>Yamamoto surprised to find Hibari sitting at the docks by himself, staring off into the distance with an irritable look on his face. For a man that didn't favour water, the raven sure had spent most of his life around the sea and ironically had a Pirate Lord as his father. The dark-haired pirate casually took a seat next to Hibari, kicking off his boots and dangling his feet into the water.<p>

"Nice view, isn't it?"

Hibari made no reply. The sun was setting, and the mouth of the cove was filled with a warm, orange-red glow that, regretfully, did not seem to reach the houses in the village, but managed to bask the docks in its fading glow. Yamamoto allowed a bit of silence to pass between the two before taking his hat off and addressing Hibari.

"Your father was the missing Pirate Lord. However, back when I knew him and he was a crew member abroad the _Sun_, he was not a Pirate Lord. He rising to his position must have occurred sometime between his supposed 'murder' and Reborn sailing around looking for you and your sister. The previous Pirate Lord of the South Asia Seas before Fon must've passed the title onto him, as a Lord always does when he feels that he can no longer protect his territory, or if he is on the verge of death. Those are the only two circumstances anyway."

Hibari scowled at Yamamoto, but a moment later, he simply brought his knees up to his chest and muttered, "Then how did _you_ become a Pirate Lord?"

"Easy," Yamamoto replied. "When my father gave up his title."

Hibari raised an eyebrow. "Your _father_ turned you into a Pirate Lord?"

"Aye," Yamamoto said. "Or rather, I was appointed by his helper, because my father wouldn't see me."

"And why not?"

Yamamoto tilted his head. "I don't know," he said finally. "Personally, I think he thought that I was too weak. He told me once that if he ever saw me again, he'd kill me. Eventually I found out why he'd disappeared for so long, and I figured if he didn't want me to find him, I suppose that even if I know where he is, he wouldn't be pleased to see me."

Hibari scoffed and looked away. "Herbivore. I would have bitten him to death."

"Maa, maa, I don't know," Yamamoto chuckled. "My father is a scary man."

Hibari pressed his lips together and glowered at the setting sun. "Why are we here?" he asked finally. "Why the hell aren't we fighting?"

"You know, Hibari, I think this is part of fate's workings," Yamamoto mused. "What was your prophecy again? _Chase after reason and the red cloaked man_. Seems like the man in the prophecy is your father. Don't tell me I'm wrong, mate," Yamamoto added, seeing Hibari's expression. "Part of you, deep down, wanted to see him again. Whether it was to know if he was alive or to bite him to death, you wanted to see Fon after ten years. You know this."

"Che. Would you miss a bastard father that left you behind?" Hibari challenged.

"Definitely," Yamamoto answered without missing a beat. "I know I would."

Hibari stared at Yamamoto, then groaned and rubbed his face in annoyance. "You're such a herbivore. Only the weak talk about things like that."

"It's okay to be human once in a while, Hibari," Yamamoto offered.

"Liar," Hibari whispered. "That's when you grow weak."

Yamamoto sighed, reaching out to wrap an arm around Hibari's thin shoulders, pulling the raven closer to himself. Reluctantly, Hibari leaned against the dark-haired pirate, grumbling half-heartedly under his breath. Yamamoto laughed a little, turning his head to nuzzle Hibari's soft hair. "Maa, maa, Kyoya," he said quietly. "Try to open up your mind a little, aye? If you do that, you'll find that the horizon isn't the only way to go."

"Stupid herbivore," Hibari muttered. "You're much more attractive when you don't talk." And he tilted his face up to press his lips against Yamamoto's. The dark-haired man turned as well, wrapping his arms around Hibari's skinny waist and pulling the raven onto his lap. Hibari made a noise in his throat; one part exasperated and two parts interested, and slid easily over Yamamoto's legs, their lips never breaking contact with each other. The two of them sat on the docks, kiss growing steadily messier. The sun was warm against Hibari's back, but the feeling of Yamamoto's hands travelling gently along his back made him shiver. Feeling the raven quiver in his arms, Yamamoto pulled Hibari even closer, making the shorter of the two grumble against his lips. The Pirate Lord grinned, and Hibari bit his lip in retaliation.

"Maa, maa, so mean, Kyoya."

"Annoying."

"Ahem."

Both pirates spun around to see Giotto standing behind them, pointedly staring at some point very, very far away. Hibari turned seven different shades of red, which Yamamoto thought was extremely adorable, but instead chose to say, "Aye, what is it, Giotto?"

"It's getting late," Giotto said simply. "Fon says it's not safe to stay by the waters after dark."

"Why do all pirates say that?" Yamamoto whined, making Hibari smack him on the head. "Ouch! Kyoya!"

"Stop acting like a pathetic girl," Hibari snarled, staring to get up. Yamamoto pouted at him. "Your blush makes you look more like a schoolgirl than I do."

A second later, Yamamoto yelped as Hibari forcefully pushed him off the dock, sending the Pirate Lord into the dark blue water with an almighty splash. Huffing, the raven walked up to where Giotto was still standing. The blonde appeared to be shaking with the effort of holding his laugh in.

"Cruel bastard," Giotto joked.

"I hope the demons eat him," Hibari retorted viciously.

Laughing, Giotto just shook his head and followed the raven up the path, leaving Yamamoto to float on his back at the docks, secretly chuckling under his breath as well.

* * *

><p>"So," Fon said with a smile. "I heard you're romantically interested in my son, Yamamoto."<p>

Yamamoto choked uncharacteristically on his tea, spewing out a mouthful onto Elena, who had the misfortune of sitting across from him at that moment. Swearing at the younger Pirate Lord, Yamamoto apologized profusely while the blonde woman grabbed a towel offered by one of the priestesses standing outside the door to wipe her face with.

It was after dinner, and the rest of the crew had either retired to their rooms or gone off to the baths to wash up after many days of sailing on the _Sun_ without proper hygiene. However, Yamamoto, Elena, Giotto and Fon had remained in the prayer hall, where they had dinner a while ago due to the fact that the two Hibari male's reckless battle earlier had practically demolished the dining hall. Now, they were drinking tea and getting ready to discuss the current situation with Yamamoto, Daemon, Commodore Gamma and the war that was about to start.

Until Fon expressed the previous question, that is.

"You bastard, Fon," Yamamoto muttered. "Don't make this more complicated than it is."

Fon only chuckled, placing his cup down. "I'm only curious. You will protect him, will you not?"

"Aye," Yamamoto replied. "To the ends of the earth, if I need to."

"Good," Fon said, nodding. "I'll be counting on you then, should I run into trouble in the war as a Pirate Lord."

"I'm a Pirate Lord too, you know." Yamamoto pointed out. However, Fon inclined his head and said simply, "Yes, you are, but your time is not nearly as spent as much as mine has been."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "You don't think you'll survive this battle?"

Fon hummed and folded his sleeves together. "I should hope that I will. I wish to see my children grow a little older, if they may, and perhaps visit my wife's grave sometime before I meet her in the afterlife as well. But, if the fates won't allow such events, I'll have to settle with whatever they deem fit for me."

The dark-haired man grumbled and crossed his arms. "Get out of this alive, Fon. Hibari needs you more than either of you think."

"Aye," Fon smiled. "I'll do my best, Yamamoto. Now, onto our current issue. How many of the Seven have been summoned, Elena?"

Elena shook her wet hair back as she answered. "There are now five Pirate Lords who are able to heed the call. You, Fon, are one, as is Yamamoto. The remaining three are currently sailing to the Waterless Cove, coming from the Norwegian Sea, the Coral Sea and the Black Sea. However, there are two that remain unable to attend: Reborn, of the North Sea, who we know is dead, and Verde, of the Beaufort Sea, who is currently imprisoned in the Pirate Grotto."

Fon rubbed his temples, frowning. "Both of them are unable to attend? This is most certainly a problem."

"Agreed," Elena said. "If they are not able to find a way to the Cove on the day of convention, then the Circle will be unable to decide anything."

"Which basically puts us into a huge pickle," Yamamoto put in helpfully. "Seeing as the pirates are now defenseless against the navy. We can't disobey the Code."

"Aye," Giotto said. "In this situation, I believe that our best bet is to free Verde. There's no use going after a dead man if we don't know where he is."

"Is there no possible way to summon Reborn back?" Fon asked. Giotto stiffened at once. "The only reason I would want Reborn to come back to life is so I can sent him back to the Underworld myself!" Giotto snarled.

"I'll have to second that one," Yamamoto added. "Reborn is too dangerous to be trusted in this situation."

"And what of Verde?" Fon argued back. "There is a reason why he's in prison, Yamamoto. He can't be trusted either."

"What of the Pirate King?" Elena cut in. "The Pirate King is eligible to make a decision in the stead of an absent Lord. We could bring back the Pirate Lord with the lowest chance of risk and have the King vote instead—"

"No."

Everybody's head turned to look at Yamamoto. The dark-haired pirate pulled his hat over his eyes, huffing quietly. "Don't ever hope that the King will help you out. His duty is to keep the Code, not to be counted as one of those following its rules. That's why the Keeper is a separate man. We cannot afford to have a single Lord twist the rules in their favour, which is why the King has complete control over us all."

Elena huffed. "The King is a pirate as well. He would fight with us."

"He won't," Yamamoto argued back lightly.

"How would you know?" Elena snapped.

"And how would you?" Yamamoto shot back. "Have you ever trusted a pirate before, Elena? Where did that get you? Over the rainbow and back, or nearly losing everything you ever loved or cared for?"

Elena mouthed soundlessly, furiously, at Yamamoto, but fell silent. She couldn't argue back against that.

"So now what?" Giotto sighed, exasperated. "Verde, or Reborn? Both of them are equally dangerous and more than likely to break apart the Circle rather than ally with us. What are we supposed to do?"

Yamamoto tapped his lip thoughtfully. "I've an idea. Let's bargain with Verde."

"What do you mean?" Fon asked.

"I say we offer him something that he'd like," Yamamoto said slowly. "such as freedom."

"Freedom?" Elena asked, perplexed. "That's useless. The guards will never set him free."

"Not if we place another equally dangerous pirate in his place," Yamamoto said smoothly. "We convince the guards to take another prisoner instead of Verde."

"Who?" Fon questioned. Yamamoto leaned back and pulled out his dagger, turning the blade so that it caught against the candlelight. With an expert flick of his wrist, the knife shot across the room and embedded itself into the wall where a huge map of the Seven Seas was pinned onto. Elena turned and frowned at the point dagger had pierced. "The Ship's Grave Area? But that territory belongs to—"

"Daemon." Yamamoto answered pleasantly. "Lady…and Gentlemen, I propose that we bargain with the guards of Pirate Grotto to arrest Daemon instead."

Nobody spoke for a very long time. Yamamoto hummed cheerfully, taking a long gulp of tea. Finally, Fon spoke. "That is…not impossible. It depends entirely on our timing though."

"That means that we'll have to intercept the navy and steal Daemon's heart to lure him to Pirate Grotto," Elena said thoughtfully. "And once he's there, initiate a trade with the guards?"

"Precisely," Yamamoto responded.

"Then, we free Verde, convene at the Cove, which still leaves us with Reborn's empty space. What are the chances of the King choosing to help us?" Giotto mused.

"Slim to none, mate," Yamamoto shrugged. "I honestly would not count on him."

"I agree." Fon said, nodding. "I must admit that I remember the King's methods to be…somewhat underhand."

"So, do we have an accord?" Yamamoto asked. "We'll figure out about that bastard Reborn later. I really don't mind not seeing his face ever again."

"Where is the Pirate Grotto?" Elena questioned.

"It's…much more South." Fon said. "I believe it just grazes the tip of the Antartican Territory. The Land of the Unthawing Ice."

"That's at least ten days of sailing," Elena frowned. "Will we make it back in time?"

"You can't transport us there like you've done before?" Giotto asked.

Yamamoto shook his head. "The Pirate Grotto is heavily enchanted. We won't be able to spirit ourselves into its boundaries."

"Fair say," Giotto muttered. "So it's best if we set sail in the morning."

"Aye," Fon agreed. "Dawn is a good time to do so."

"We've had some progress today," Elena said tiredly. "Rest well before the 'morrow. It will be a long battle ahead of us."

The group slowly rose to their feet, placing the teacups onto the trays for the priestesses to collect and were walking out the door when a voice down the hall suddenly called out, "Master Fon!"

Fon turned, and a short monk came running up to him, breathing heavily. "What is it?" Fon asked, frowning. The occupants of Sea Snake Village hardly ever spoke, let alone shout. Something big must have happened.

"A ship—" the monk panted, trying to catch his breath. His voice was scratchy from years of lack of use. "A ship, in the harbor. It's a pirate's vessel."

Yamamoto immediately grabbed his sword. He exchanged looks with Fon, Elena, and Giotto. He could tell they were all thinking the same thing. Could Daemon have caught up with them already?

"Thank you for your notice," Fon answered at once. "Please gather the rest of your brothers and sisters and remain in the basement until I call for you again. Do not leave the area." The monk scrambled to comply. Fon turned to his fellow pirates. "Wake the rest of the crew," he murmured. "There might be a fight approaching."

Minutes later, the crew of the _Black Sun_ had scrambled down to the docks, where a large, black ship could be seen cruising into the harbor leisurely. The villagers were hiding and whimpering in the background, their ragged whispers carrying through the sea breeze like a cursed wind. The sun was starting to disappear, and the sky was bathed in a violent red shade…much like blood.

"Damn, it's huge," Yamamoto cursed once they came to a halt at the docks.

"That's…not the _Spade_," Elena frowned.

"Another pirate ship?" Gokudera asked, cocking his rifle.

"Be on guard," Fon called out. "We'll wait to see who they are."

The giant ship slowly drifted into the harbor, coming to a stop against the wooden planks. Yamamoto squinted up at the deck. That was strange. Why wasn't there anybody on duty? How was the ship sailing?

"A ghost ship?" Mukuro muttered to Yamamoto. Lambo heard, and started shaking. The dark-haired man shrugged his shoulders. "I don't think so…I sense a party on board."

The ship bumped against the docks, and the pirates gazed up expectantly at it. Who was on board? Suddenly, a head popped up from the rails. It was a little girl with short black hair cut into an apple bob, wearing a white dress and had a huge muffin hat set on her head. She looked down, and when she caught sight of the captain of the _Black Sun_, she waved and called out in a voice like chimes, "Uncle Yamamoto!"

The said man almost dropped his sword in shock. "_Uni_?" Yamamoto called up, stunned. "What…?"

To everybody's shock, two other women appeared at the rails. It was Luce and Aria. The three Fates had appeared in Fon's domain.

"Hello, Yamamoto, Fon," Luce smiled. "It's wonderful to see you all again!"

Yamamoto bowed, as did Fon. The others quickly followed suit. "Why are you here?" Yamamoto asked, sheathing his weapon. "What calls the White Women out to the shores of a Pirate Lord's territory?"

"There is a conflict that is fast approaching," Aria replied. "We've come to offer you one more asset in the upcoming battle, for even after we opened up a way for the _Sun_ to escape to China, the enemy continues to draw close."

"Lady Aria!" Elena shouted. "The Fates were the ones who intercepted my spell?"

"Aye!" Uni giggled. "We needed Uncle Yamamoto to find Uncle Fon! This was the quickest way to unite them all."

"What have you brought with you this time, Madame Fates?" Fon asked. "What brings you out here, as Yamamoto has said?"

"You shall see," Luce answered. To her right, three pirates suddenly appeared.

"Where the hell are we, kora?"

"This place is dirt poor. Not worth a cent."

"S-stop being so r-rude, mate!"

Yamamoto's jaw dropped, Giotto looked murderous, Tsuna quaked in fear, I-pin raised her fists and Hibari lifted his tonfas. "Why are those herbivores here?" the raven growled.

"The Fates brought us here, Hibari Kyoya," Colonello roared from the deck. "Don't think we're happy to be here! But the battle for the Age of the Pirates is more important than beating you, get it, kora?"

Next to him, Mammon huffed. "I'm in this for the money," he grumbled. "I can have as much as I want now that the curse is lifted."

"W-we're going to fight?" Skull whimpered, making Colonello smack him on the head.

"MAN UP, YOU FOOL!"

"You have got to be pulling my leg," Giotto groaned under his breath. "With those three, we're doomed!"

"Oi, Madame Fate, when are we gonna get off, kora?"

"Stupid," Mammon cussed. "We don't get off until the captain does."

"A-aye," Skull added, shaking. "After the c-captain."

Yamamoto's eyes widened. "Oh Gods," he moaned, passing a hand over his eye. "Not this. They've really done it now."

"Now, now," Luce called out from the deck. "This was to be expected, wasn't it, Yamamoto?"

"Aye, milady," Yamamoto grimaced, eyes burning. "As you wish."

"What's she talking about?" I-pin asked, confused. However, no sooner had she asked that question when the plank was suddenly lowered, and a fourth figure appeared on the deck. He was dressed in a long black coat with his long, jade green, ornate sword strapped to his side. His boots clicked with purpose and intent with every step he took walking down the wooden board. Atop his head sat his rounded hat, still unable to tame his wild black hair that escaped out from the sides.

With an air of nearly unbearable confidence and dangerous, suave Lordship, the resurrected Lord of the North Sea and the illegitimate captain of the _Sun_ for nine years was standing before the group now, a smirk on his face.

"So tell me," Reborn said calmly, eyes locking right with Yamamoto's. "Where abouts be _my_ ship?"

* * *

><p>I stole Barbossa's line from the ending of <em>Dead Man's Chest<em>. I couldn't help it. I remember when I watched that scene about three years ago, I screamed at the epicness of it all. Also. I really like Barbossa's name. Hector Barbossa. What a boss.

Well, guess here's another surprise character return~! I told you Reborn would be coming back, yeah? :D Let's see what he and Yamamoto are going to do next~!

Thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated~

-BlackStar


	12. Chapter 12

Thieves and Beggars

Whoa, Chapter Twelve already? Eesh. So many things have happened by now. Maybe it's time for a short recap? :'D Actually, I'm even confusing myself with these events. Crud. ^^"

Alright. So. Up until now, Yamamoto, his crew, and the _Black Sun_, which he won back from Reborn through Daemon's Locker, are in China, having being sent there by the Fates, who intervened through the spell cast by a mysterious woman named Elena, whom appears to be employed by the Fates. Now, they've met Fon, the Pirate Lord of the South Asia Sea, and is actually Hibari and I-pin's father that they believed had been killed by Reborn nine years ago. Reborn was now dead. The seven Pirate Lords are starting to gather together to plan a battle against the navy to save the Age of the Pirates, but were missing two members of the seven, so Yamamoto and Fon are trying to find a way to bring everyone together so they could vote for a fight. However, the Fates suddenly arrive in China, revealing that they had resurrected Reborn for the fight.

Well. That pretty much sums everything up, doesn't it? :'D Not to worry though; there's still plenty more adventures to come. Also, someone remind me that Dino's still alive, because I still have no idea where to sub him back into the story. TT^TT

(Btw, thanks, **kikyokyoyahbari**, for the advice about the salt and using it to ward off ghosts :'D I am now contemplating moving my workspace into the kitchen~ )

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twelve<p>

Dino sat on the cold floor of the _Millifore_, listening to Gamma's roars of rage and the sounds of things being thrown around. Judging from the swearing, the violent tantrums and a certain name being cursed until Judgment day, Dino had gathered one vital piece of information that made his heart pound in his ribcage:

Yamamoto Takeshi was alive.

And he had regained control of the _Black Sun_.

The blonde sagged against the wall, exhaling for the umpteenth time that day in relief. So Hibari and the others had managed to save the Pirate Lord, and they had slipped right through the navy's fingers yet again, hence Gamma's temper tantrum. Dino had the give the Pirate Lord credit. Yamamoto Takeshi was a hard man to get your hands on if he didn't want you to.

"Swallow of the Sea indeed," Dino muttered to himself, shaking his bangs back. How long had he been on this ship? The only reason he was alive now was because while the _Millifore_ had been travelling Southeast to Rain Island, they had run smack into Yamamoto's crew. It was a coincidence, really, and Dino had zero idea whatsoever why they were sailing in that direction, or where they even came from, for that matter. But Gamma was now fully convinced that Dino had given them legitimate information, and the threat previously placed on Dino's life had all but vanished. Now, the blonde had been freed from his shackles and given a bit more freedom, such as being allowed to wander around his own cabin. He was still a prisoner, though, so he wasn't allowed on deck, and the door was locked at all times.

Suddenly, the door to his room smashed open, nearly shattering upon impact on the opposite wall. Dino jumped about a foot into the air, almost ramming his head on the low ceiling of the room. Commodore Gamma was standing in the doorway; his face beat red and panting heavily like he'd just gone for an intense run. Dino stared at the man nervously, similar to the way a bystander dressed in red would ogle at an angry bull.

"You." Gamma spluttered, pointing at Dino. The blonde wearily pointed at himself.

"Me."

The Commodore was shaking with the effort to remain calm. Dino was amazed the man had so much stamina when it came to complaining. Hadn't it already been a day since Yamamoto escaped?

"You. Cavallone. I want you to infiltrate their ranks."

"What?" Dino shrieked in a rather unmanly way. "Me—_go back to them_?"

"Yes," Gamma replied. "I've gathered information from a source that those scumbags are planning to reunite some Seven or something, a bunch of Pirate Lords so that they can destroy the navy or something. I want an insider on that."

"Are you stupid?" Dino snarled. "What makes you think they won't kill me on sight?"

Gamma reached down to his belt and removed his sword from his side. It was a fantastically crafted blade, silver, with white pearls set into the hilt, made exclusively in Spain. He tossed the weapon over to Dino, who caught it with practiced ease.

"Take this and tell them you stole it off me when you escaped. I'm going to put you on another ship and sail you close to where their hideout is."

"Hideout?" Dino asked, looking as though he wanted to drop the sword he was currently holding in his hands.

"Yes. Our…ah, _ally_, so to speak, has heard through his 'pet' the whereabouts of those pirates through the sea. He'll be the one sailing you close to them, and from then on, you'll be following their trail until they reach where all seven Lords will convene."

"This is madness," Dino said shakily. "Firstly, how will I be able to follow them without being seen? A ship's hard to hide on open waters, you know? Secondly, even if I do get there, how on earth will I be able to contact you? Also, how do you know they won't just all kill me on the spot? I-I betrayed them," Dino added quietly. Gamma regarded him with a strange look.

"You betrayed nothing, Cavallone. Your loyalties lie with the navy, does it not? If you're worried about your fiancée, and yes, I know about her," Gamma said, seeing Dino's horrified face, "I believe that you deserve a better match. Pirates are nothing but filth that needs to be destroyed. We cannot let them threaten these waters anymore!"

Dino clenched the blade. It was taking all of his self-control not to yank the sword out of its sheath and slicing its owner's head right off his shoulders.

"Commodore!"

Gamma turned to see one of the sailors run into the doorway, pointing with a shaky finger behind him. "It's—they're—the captain of _that_ ship." He whispered, visibly sweating and gulping hard.

"Ah, good," Gamma said, and turned back to Dino. "Your ride is here. Follow me."

"W-wait," Dino stammered, tripping on his way out of his room. "What ride?"

Gamma did not reply, but when the two emerged on deck, a shocking sight met Dino. It was almost nighttime, and the sun was setting in the horizon. The _Millifore_ had docked near a small island, and next to them was a second ship. It was a frightening sight. This other ship was even bigger than the navy's cruiser. It had the appearance of a vessel that had been sunken for several decades and then forcefully dragged up from the bottom of the sea. The wood on the sides were rotten and scarred. Seaweed, small sea critters and other forms of underwater vegetation were growing on the hull. The sails were ragged and torn, dark green algae sticking to it, giving the cloth a slimy look. Standing on deck were strange looking sailors, all whom were men, but had all sorts of other pieces such as fish, seaweed, and clams growing on their bodies. They looked like statues that had fallen into the sea and had the ocean's wildlife grow all over them. At the front of the ship was the carving of Poseidon, Old Man of the Sea, carrying his trident.

"What…is this?" Dino gaped, clutching the sword.

"This is the ally ship you will be sailing on," Gamma smiled darkly. "Mind you, be careful on board. We don't want you dying before our mission is complete, right?"

Dino turned and glared at the Commodore. "Where's the captain?" the blonde asked simply. Gamma looked surprised. "Why, behind you, of course."

Dino paled, spun around, and instantly, a gloved hand reached out and slammed him into the deck of the ship. Dino choked, thrashing, but a boot came out of nowhere and stomped down hard on his arm while a dagger pierced through the sleeve of his shirt and snagged his other arm down.

"Well, well, this is the spy we're sending in?"

Dino stared up in shock at the tall, blue-haired man pinning him against the floor. Or was he a man? There was a strange air about him. His image flickered every once in a while, as though he couldn't keep a solid form. It was almost as though he was made of mist.

"Yes, Daemon, this is." Gamma frowned. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't kill him, since he's the one doing the infiltrating."

Daemon made an annoyed noise in his throat and sneered at Dino. "You're the one who's in love, no?"

"What?" Dino gasped, still trying to get free.

Daemon leaned down so that he was whispering right into Dino's ear. The blonde shuddered and tried to move to one side. That only made Daemon smirk. "I saw her, you know," he taunted quietly. "How long do you think she'll live once these dogs go after them pirates? You think your _love_ for her will make a difference?"

Dino's blood was pounding in his ears. "Go to hell," he spat at the other. Daemon leaned back and raised an eyebrow. Then, he shocked everybody by throwing his head back and laughing.

"Hell? I've been there since the day the world began!" Daemon crowed, unsheathing his sword and thrusting down at Dino. Gamma yelled something angrily and started forwards, but Dino, his mind had suddenly gone blank. The motion was so very similar to a move Hibari had used against him when they sparred back then…but Daemon's moves were far too slow. With the unnerving skills of a man who had been constantly beaten over the head by his girlfriend's brother, Dino tore his sleeve free from the dagger and whipped out Gamma's sword. Sparks flew as the two blades clashed together. Daemon raised his other eyebrow.

"Looks like you've got some fight in you, dog," he taunted.

"I could say the same, you cowardly sea slug," Dino retorted, eyes blazing. Daemon's face darkened, and he jerked his sword back before grabbing Dino by the front of his shirt and dragged him upright towards the _Spade_, the blonde yelling and cussing the whole way. Daemon hauled Dino up and tossed him overboard without hesitation, watching the blonde yelp and cling to the sword as he hit the sea with a splash. Almost at once, the _Spade_ made a frightful keening noise and started to descend into the inky sea. The sailors on board, who had been watching the exchanged between their captain and the navy, sneered and returned to their posts as the ship continued to descend into the waters.

"I'd rather you not drown my spy before he reaches Waterless Cove," Gamma said dryly. Daemon suppressed a snort with difficulty.

"He's pathetic," the blue-haired man growled, slowly starting to fade into mist. "I looked right into his eyes…and all I can see is a useless _infatuation_ with some woman. You picked the wrong man."

"Really now?" Gamma smiled, drumming his fingers on the rails. "I rather think I have a good sense of judgment in ways to…ah, encourage others to cooperate." The Commodore's eyes looked pointedly at Daemon's chest, right where his heart should be. Daemon trembled in rage.

"We'll see, _Commodore_," he mocked. "You overestimate your crew and your own abilities. If you live to see the end of the pirates, I'll personally come back to haunt you."

With those friendly parting words, the fallen Ferryman vanished into nothing, just as his ship finally disappeared into the sea, without even a ripple to show where the _Spade_ had been moments ago. There was a moment of silence, and the suddenly, the water frothed as something strange skimmed close to the surface of the sea. It brushed past the _Millifore_, rocking the boat and making Gamma's men yell in fear. The Commodore himself made no sound, but peered with interest over the rail. Scarcely visible beneath the water was an enormous shape that seemed to follow in the direction the _Spade_ had went.

"Trying to give us a scare?" Gamma chuckled darkly. "You'll have to find a greater leverage than that, Daemon."

Turning his back on his blackmailed ally, the Commodore retreated back into this cabin, where a simple black chest the size of a small crate was sitting upon his desk. It had been moved into his personal quarters after Cavallone had been moved into one of the other cabins. Gamma sat down in his chair, closing his eyes and relaxing his mind.

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Gamma exhaled slowly. Was that his own heart beating, or was it the sound of someone else's, pumping along with his own?

* * *

><p>To say that the situation was incredibly awkward would be an understatement. It was dawn the next day, and the group had gathered at the harbor, getting ready to set sail. Reborn's men and Yamamoto's men were seizing each other up, Giotto and Hibari were glaring at Reborn, Tsuna was huddled next to I-pin, who looked annoyed, Fon was having a quick conversation with several of the elder monks and priestesses at his temple, and Reborn and Yamamoto…well, clearly each pirate's respective resurrection did not earn the other's approval. The two Pirate Lords were locked in a fierce glare, almost trying to burn each other with the heat from their eyes.<p>

Frankly, it was quite childish, but neither seemed to care.

The Fates were standing by, oblivious to the tension in the air around them. Uni was playing with some of the crabs by the sands, while Elena was talking quietly with Aria and Luce. A moment later, Fon appeared, smiling like he always did, carrying a small bag over his shoulder. A small group of monks were following after him. Some of the villagers had also gathered around the shore, watching silently.

"Is it time to go?" he asked brightly. Hibari tore his eyes away from Reborn long enough to give his father an annoyed look. Fon only beamed brighter. One could practically see sparks flying between the two of them now.

"Yes," Yamamoto replied. "Our destination now is straight for Waterless Cove, right, milady?"

"Yes," Luce replied. "The waters are calm right now. You should set sail right away."

"You're certain we won't have to sail to the Pirate Grotto?" Elena asked hesitantly. "Are you sure…the other two Pirate Lords will be able to retrieve Verde?"

Aria cast a wearily eye out into the horizon. "We have complete faith in them," she said simply.

"They'll be fine, Miss Elena!" Uni called from the shore. "They're fine fighters, you know!"

Elena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Understood, Madame Fates."

"Who did you send there, anyhow?" Yamamoto questioned. Luce only smiled. "Very capable men. You won't have to worry." A discussion the night before had them all come to the conclusion that the Fates had arranged for two Pirate Lords to retrieve Verde instead of them. While neither Yamamoto, Fon, or Elena had been rather pleased with the results, they had been assured that their allies were more than able to break Verde out of jail.

Yamamoto paused, shrugged, nd then turned to his crew. "Gather your things, men. We set sail now."

"Still putting on an air," Reborn tutted loudly. Yamamoto turned and scowled at him. "Go back to your own bloody boat and shut up, Reborn."

Reborn huffed and picked up his own things. "_My_ ship would be the _Sun_, Yamamoto."

"You wish," Yamamoto retorted, turning on his heel and following his crewmates up onto his own vessel. Reborn made a crude gesture at him before heading off to the vessel he and the Fates had arrived on. Quietly, the pirates boarded their ships, occasionally calling out to each other and unfurling their sails, hoisting up their anchors.

Fon watched them work, a small puff of wind ruffling his bangs. On the _Sun_, Hibari was talking with Yamamoto as the two dropped their things. Fon watched as his son picked up a rifle, inspect it, and then toss it over to Yamamoto. The dark-haired man grinned at the raven, making Hibari scoff and turn away. Yamamoto laughed, reaching out to pull the other back.

"Do you not approve?"

Fon turned to see Aria standing behind him. He smiled a little, bowing. "It is not whether or not I disapprove. I am simply wondering when my son and daughter grew up so quickly."

"Are you surprised?" Aria asked.

Fon only chuckled. "Not particularly," he mused. "Your prophecy for me those years ago was more than enough of a warning. I'm just saddened that I never got the chance to truly understand my children before I leave for good."

"The chance is yours," Aria answered, walking away now. Fon shook his head, walking up towards the _Sun_.

"Indeed."

* * *

><p>Waterless Cove was, much like Rain Island, nothing similar to its namesake whatsoever. Firstly, nothing was waterless. In fact, there was so much water; the place couldn't even be considered an island at all. The two ships sailed silently through the small chunks of land sticking out from the ground. There were rock pillars much like the ones surrounding the Fate's cove, but contrary to the raging storm that was frequent and always nearly present around the area, Waterless Cove was quiet and still as a stone. It could almost give Sea Snake Village a run for its money.<p>

The water rippled around them as they sailed into its shores, coming nearer and nearer to the opening. It was as Yamamoto turned the wheel with an eerie creak when I-pin suddenly screamed.

"What? What is it?"

Fon and Hibari both leapt to their feet, rushing over to the young woman. The nervous crew immediately grabbed for their weapons, but I-pin spun around to call out to Yamamoto, "Stop! Stop! There's someone in the water!"

"Who?" Yamamoto shouted back, voice echoing in the silent bay. I-pin stopped, hesitated, and for a moment, looked very much at loss. Hibari, however, pulled back from the rail and said very simply, "It's Dino."

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow. "Dino? In the water?"

"H-he's unconscious," I-pin said, looking desperate. "Please, Yamamoto, b-bring him up on board?"

Hibari scowled. His suggestion would be to leave the traitorous idiot in the sea and to let him drown, but he knew that would upset his sister. Fon was looking curiously at I-pin and Hibari, tilting his head. Grudgingly, Hibari mouthed the words _ex-fiancé_ to his father. Fon looked highly surprised, but then turned back to his daughter.

Yamamoto pulled his head down, and to everybody's surprise, chuckled. "Love. Funny what it can make a person feel, eh? Pull the rat up on board; I'd rather not have him drowning and his death be on my conscience."

I-pin looked immensely relieved. "Thank you, Yamamoto!"

The Pirate Lord tipped his hat down. Giotto grabbed a length of rope that Mukuro had tossed to him, scaled down the side of the ship and hauled an unconscious Dino out of the water. The blonde dropped the Cavallone heir on deck. I-pin rushed to him at once.

"Dino? Dino, can you hear me?"

"Maybe he's swallowed some water," Giotto frowned. "How on earth did he get here?"

Hibari glared at the form of the floor. He wanted to smash Dino's face in, but suddenly, Yamamoto jumped down from the wheel and said sharply, "What's that on his belt?"

I-pin carefully turned Dino over on one side. Hanging from the blonde's waist was a long, decorated sword, Spanish-made, encrusted with white pearls. Yamamoto's face darkened as he removed the blade from Dino's belt, turning the weapon over in his palm with careful calm. "I know this sword," he said softly, unsheathing the blade.

"Where?" Gokudera asked in a hushed voice.

"Commodore Gamma," a voice said from above. They all looked up to see Mukuro leaning by the next on the side of the boat. The man's mismatched eye was glaring pointedly at the hilt. "Am I wrong, captain?"

"Aye, Mukuro's got it right," Yamamoto said quietly. "This means, that Dino had been picked up by the navy, and lived to tell the tale."

"Had he been on board the whole time?" I-pin asked, worried. Yamamoto shrugged. "You guess is as good as mine's, miss. My only concern now is if Dino heroically jumped ship and swam his way here or…" Yamamoto turned the sword over, smirking. "Whether he was sent here to be a spy."

"A spy?" Tsuna whispered.

"Hardly likely that this Dino gentleman could have come here by himself," Fon frowned. "The Cove cannot be so easily found by the navy; otherwise they would have come years ago. So someone else must have brought him here."

There was a pause.

"Daemon." Elena said. "Daemon probably brought him here. He's working under the navy now. And he knows how to navigate through hidden areas, even if he can't enter them."

"That is my best bet too," Yamamoto shrugged. "However, we should wake him up to see what he has to say for himself." With those words, he suddenly punched Dino hard in the stomach. The blonde jerked upright, coughing and spluttering while spewing up mouthful of seawater over Fon and I-pin, who were the closest.

"Dino!" I-pin shrieked, throwing her arms around the man. Hibari choked, casually turning his reaction into a coughing fit. Yamamoto almost laughed at that. Dino was slightly disoriented, having being hit in the stomach rather violently by Yamamoto, and then tackled by I-pin. "What? What? Where am I?"

"Dino, I thought you were dead," I-pin sobbed, hugging the man so hard the others swore they heard a rib crack. Dino's eyes widened. "I-pin? I-is that you?"

"Of course it's me, stupid!" I-pin yelled, suddenly punching Dino so hard in the face the man fell backwards and smacked his head on the deck. "Did your brain get soggy with all the sea water? You idiot!" Dino stared at the young woman who was trying to fiercely stop her tears while attempting to look angry. Dino looked down, reaching out to take I-pin's hand.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm back. I promise I won't do that again."

"Damn right you're an arse," Hibari cut in sharply, grabbing Dino by the front of his shirt even though I-pin was still clinging to him. "Pull something like that again, and I'll bite you to death, herbivore. We're still deciding if you're a spy or not."

Dino paled. "Spy?" he asked. "I'm not—I swear, I'm not a spy! Gamma set this up! He threw me overboard and left me to drown here, saying that if I get picked up by you lot, to carry out the plan and call them when the Circle of Seven has made their decision. But I promise I would never go along with it. If I was saved, I had already made up my mind to warn you about the Commodore's plans!"

Yamamoto chuckled dryly and held up the long sword. "I would think so, since this was a real treasure of Gamma's. He wouldn't give it up lightly if he didn't think that you could convince us otherwise."

Dino gulped visibly. It was hard to tell whether or not Yamamoto believed his story. Hibari glared. "Maybe we should just toss this herbivore off the ship right now." Fon coughed lightly and said gently, "Let's see what Yamamoto has to say first, shall we, Kyoya?"

Dino turned, and for the first time, seemed to notice Fon kneeling on the deck next to him, Hibari, and I-pin. Shock and confusion crossed the blonde's face as he yelped, "What? Another Hibari? Hibari twins?"

I-pin burst out in giggles and Hibari furiously smacked Dino on the head. Fon blinked, but laughed softly as well. "I'm flattered you think I'm as young as Kyoya. Dino, was it? I'm I-pin and Kyoya's _father_, Fon. I'm the Pirate Lord of the Asia Sea. It's nice to meet you."

The elder raven smiled and shook Dino's hand in a perfectly civilized manner, yet the blonde looked like he was slowly dying…though that might have been the fact that he was currently speaking with his fiancée's father and a Pirate Lord. Yamamoto and the rest of the crew were highly amused. With their spirits raised, the crew continued to sail into Waterless Cove, with Dino spluttering greetings to a serene Fon, Hibari muttering about herbivores and I-pin beside herself with joy. Yamamoto watched them chatter and idle about, turning the wheel with a steady hand. He glanced at Gamma's sword leaning against the rail and tightened his grip tightened so much his knuckles turned white. Wordlessly, the Pirate Lord picked up the fancy weapon and tossed it over the edge of the overboard. The sound of the splash was lost with the creak of the _Sun_ and the sounds of the crew on board.

He tucked his hat over his eyes.

In the back of his head, the tiny voice screamed for him to wake up, to stop trusting others, and to throw Dino overboard with that damned sword. Grinning in spite of himself, Yamamoto glanced up from under the brim of his hat. Things were finally getting interesting. He'll believe Dino.

For now.

* * *

><p>I know, I got lazy. This chapter basically went nowhere. But it's okay. I think. Hnnnn.<p>

Thank you for reading~ Comments are much appreciated, since they usually kick me into proper writing mode again.

AH. BEFORE I FORGET. FON. HIS CHEST. HIS ABS. MMMM. SO BEAUTIFUL. You must remind me to make you strip in this fic, Fon. I'm sure the fangirls would love it.

-BlackStar


	13. Chapter 13

Thieves and Beggars

Happy (late) Valentine's Day! Or, as I liked to call it, _Tuesday_. Hnn. Where's my hubu? Must go cling. Also, I must share that I ditched Data Math and got to take World History instead, so banzai! My teacher is the same awesome guy who taught me Law last semester. In a way, he's like Reborn. A hardass and a total bastard at times, but seriously, I've never learned more about life with him than any other teacher.

Therefore, I shall make a greeting: Hi, Mr. G. I pray to Buddha you won't ever find this. By the way, I'm slacking on my project to write Ch. 13. Okay bye :'D

(Good boys and girls, don't procrastinate on homework for fanfictions) :'3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirteen<p>

After navigating through many twists and turns in the near dark, the crew of the _Sun_ finally lowered the anchor with a splash in the relatively shallow part of the cove, climbing into several rowboats and paddling to shore, watching Reborn's ship dock as well, and Colonello, Mammon, Skull and their captain climb into dinghies as well. Where their ships where anchored was a large hollow in the side of the huge stone cliff, and there was a much smaller tunnel leading into a different part of the area. It was rather like the Fate's little cave, but Waterless Cove lacked the earthy comfort and serene setting. It was chilly here, with the sounds of water dripping and the smell of the sea wafting in. An unnatural haze hovered over the surface of the inky black water. It was very unsettling.

Especially when there were already three other ships docked in the dimly lit place as well. The rest of the Pirate Lords were already present.

"Weren't two of them supposed to go fetch Verde?" Elena hissed at Yamamoto. "There's no way they could free him that fast! The guards of Pirate Grotto aren't easy to get past!" The dark-haired man shrugged as he paddled.

"Then it means that the two Lords are not easy to beat. It's that simple." His answer made Elena pressed her lips together, but she didn't argue back.

The rest of their journey down the little stream remained quiet. Even Colonello and Mammon weren't bickering. The air was tense, and every eddy was wrought with possibilities. When they all finally drifted to the end of the tunnel, a new sight was presented before the pirates.

They had sailed right through a secret entrance embedded in the solid rock cliff to reach a mysterious fortress hidden in the inside of the cove. It was a giant, circular hollow with a castle looming out in the middle of the water. It was old and weathered, slimy, covered in plants, but the blazing orange glow from the tiny windows gave way to the life tucked away behind the stone walls.

"What's this?" Hibari asked Yamamoto quietly.

"The Conference Chambers," was the reply. "The castle was built by Oceanus, the Greek Titan of the sea, and Nami, the sea goddess. The first Pirate King found this place and it has been tradition for the future Kings to inhabit this fortress at all times. The Code is also kept here. At any point in time, should a pirate feel the need to seek protection, they are always welcome to come here, though that rarely happens."

"Why?" Hibari asked. Yamamoto shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe it's 'cause most pirates run from _other_ pirates, so there's really no point in coming here if one's going to run into their enemy again."

Hibari rolled his eyes.

A total of four rowboats slowly came up to the front of the castle, where the water flowed into a tunnel under the castle that was barricaded by a towering gate. There was a moment of stillness, but suddenly, as though their presence had been detected, the rusted metal bars slowly began rising up, creaking noisily, dripping water as it went. When they had been raised far enough for the crew to paddle in with their heads tucked down, they slowly sailed into the darkness of the castle's property. Behind them, the gates began to screech as they slid back down.

There were dozens of rowboats tied to the docks. Yamamoto tossed his rope over the post, Giotto did the same for his boat, and Skull fumbled with his knots until Reborn rolled his eyes and shoved the poor clumsy pirate aside, finishing off the weak ends. They all climbed up onto a creaky plank, walking up to a wide entrance off to the side.

"Hasn't changed much, this place," Reborn muttered, running a hand up the stone walls. They were wet. Yamamoto cricked his neck and replied, "It's been a while since any of us visited." Behind them, Fon hummed cheerily.

"I've never been here before."

Reborn muttered something under his breath about freaks, and they walked up a set of slippery winding stairs before coming in to a landing with a set of double doors at the far end. Loud voices could be heard, and there was light shining through the crack under the wood.

"Looks like everyone's here and accounted for," Yamamoto said sunnily, stepping forwards and shoving the doors open.

The room was vast and majestic, though it gave off the feeling of ancientness and overuse. A long table had been cramped into the middle of the floor, the chairs mismatched, and a huge number of pirates currently occupying the room and talking loudly. Along the sides of the walls were strange artifacts everywhere, falling off the shelves and tumbling over other objects that had been cast aside. It was like someone had hastily shoved the contents of a storage room to one side and plopped a table down in the middle. At the very far end of the room, there was a small set of creaky wooden stairs leading up to a small door upstairs.

The noise died down the moment Yamamoto, Reborn, and Fon entered.

"You're late!" a woman's voice snapped, furious. "A second later and we would have started without you!"

"My apologies, Lady Lal," Reborn cut in smoothly, addressing the only female seated at the table. "But as I'm sure you're aware, nothing can be decided if but one of the Pirate Lords was absent."

Lal, a tall, blue haired woman with sharp eyes, glowered fiercely at Reborn and hissed, "Aren't you supposed to be dead, you arse?"

Reborn glared. Yamamoto leaned over and added, "I killed him."

Lal snorted. Reborn rounded on Yamamoto and snapped, "Hang yourself!"

"Shut it, we haven't all day to listen to you old ladies bicker," an annoyed voice stated from the far end of the table. A man with strange specs perched on his long nose and wild green hair looked bored as he scratched notes on spare sheet of parchment. His rolled-up sleeves showed arms heavily tattooed with prison marks.

"Strong words from a man who's spent the last nine years in the Grotto, Verde," Reborn retorted scathingly, walking around to sit at a chair directly across from the former prisoner. Verde looked annoyed, but didn't say anything back. Instead, he turned to Fon, who had seated himself next to the inmate.

"Who're you?" he grunted. Fon inclined his head a little serene smile never leaving his face. "My name is Fon. I'm from the South Asia Seas. It's a pleasure to meet you, Verde."

Verde gave Fon a weird look. "Eh? You're the 'missing' one? Shocked that Reborn and Yamamoto found you, no offence, mate."

Fon chuckled. Lal gave Yamamoto a funny look, as if to say _who the devil is this nut job?_ but the dark-haired pirate only grinned back. Further down the table, a lean, white haired man with tinted purple irises and a mark under his left eye sat back in his chair and said playfully, "You don't mean to mock our hard work, do you, Reborn? It took us a lot of trouble to retrieve Verde."

"What's 'we'?" the man from the seat across the speaker cut in. He, too, wore small, rounded specs and had short, wispy white hair. "All you did was laze about on your ship eating marshmallows, Byakuran. I went in and brought Verde out. My noodles were soggy when I came out, thanks to you."

Byakuran laughed, kicking his feet up on the table. "Don't lie, Kawahira, or the devil will cut your tongue. I worked too, if you must know."

"The two of _you_ went to retrieve Verde?" Reborn asked, disgruntled, narrowed eyes piercing holes through Byakuran and Kawahira. "You were sent by the Fates?"

Byakuran didn't answer, but Kawakhira uttered a simple, "Aye."

"Why do we even bother with the Fates?" Lal grumbled. "They take us as pawns in their games, that's all."

"They called this counsel," Fon pointed out. "It's a fighting chance, really."

"Not if the Navy's got a spy in here," Verde added unhelpfully. "Right, Cavallone?" Everybody stopped talking. Nearly every eye on the table turned in the direction of the blonde standing with I-pin in the back. The raven haired woman immediately stepped up in front of Dino, her dark eyes daring anybody to come closer.

"What's this?" Byakuran sat up, apparently interested. "Who's brought the heir to the Navy's biggest supporter here?"

"That would be me," Yamamoto answered without hesitation. "Ye don't need to worry your precious heads over it. He's on our side."

"What on earth possessed you to think of bringing him with you?" Lal hissed fiercely Yamamoto. "Are you trying to kill us?"

"I'll be straight with all of you," Dino spoke up suddenly. "I was picked up by the Navy, and I am under orders from the Commodore to inform him of the location of Waterless Cove once the Circle of Seven convened, but I'll tell you right now I have no intention of doing that." From the pocket of his jacket, Dino retrieved a small, grubby-looking shell. It was about the size of his palm, and the blonde carefully set the delicate object down in the middle of the table, stepping back to where I-pin was again. "I have nothing to do with it. It's up to all of you if you want to destroy it or not. Gamma told me that I had to crush it if I wanted to signal him to attack. He's probably in the area with Daemon, getting ready to sail in once I call for him."

There were several cries of outrage from the table. "Daemon? Daemon's sided with the Navy?"

"Damnation!"

"Great," Kawahira said dryly. "Now we've got something else to bother with."

"Then what good is that thing?" Verde asked, gesturing to the shell on the table.

"Good point," Yamamoto said brightly, standing up from his chair. Before anyone could stop him, he picked up his sword and slammed the hilt of his blade down on the delicate shell. The table was shocked into silence as the object shattered into a dozen pieces on the wooden surface. Then, somewhere in the distance, a shrill, breathy wail was heard. The sound was chilling.

Lal found her voice first. "Why did you do that?" she yelled.

Yamamoto looked at her innocently. "Verde said it was useless. We shouldn't keep useless things around." Behind him, Lambo made an 'eep' noise. Lal looked beyond furious.

"You've just notified the navy and Daemon to come and get us. You'll get us all killed!"

"You'll die only if you don't fight back," Yamamoto replied logically. "And even if I didn't crush the shell, they would have come to hunt you. They would come to hunt all of us. Thing is, now that I have destroyed the secret device, a plan that sails in our favour can now be hatched from it."

"What plan?" Verde huffed, taking off his glasses and polishing it on his matted shirt.

"Simple. As far as our wonderful friend Gamma is aware, nobody but Dino knows of the shell. Therefore, once it was crushed, then Dino is sending him the signal to come and storm the fortress. It would also imply that Dino is on his side. When the time for battle comes around, Gamma would have no problem allowing Dino back on board his ship, and it's essential that we have one of our own aboard."

"For what reason?" Byakuran questioned, raising a thin eyebrow.

"Think of why Daemon, an almighty fallen sea god, would side with Gamma," Yamamoto answered, starting to pace around the table. Hibari watched him walk. It was strange. The dark-haired man was so often seen grinning and idling about, it was odd to see him leading a conference with such a serious face.

"Daemon detests humans, he's self-centered, and he's far too proud to ever decide to help the Navy. So under what circumstances would he ever want to do something like this?"

"If he was being threatened," Elena cut in helpfully.

"Aye," Yamamoto agreed. "As I'm sure you're aware, Daemon made a sacrifice many years ago when he became the captain of the _Spade_. There's even a song about it too, imagine that," Yamamoto chuckled. "What was that line? Ah, yes. _He who gave his heart is named the Ferryman. _Daemon offered his heart when he became the captain, but now his severed heart is on board Gamma's ship. He's being threatened into fighting us. But then again, he's never liked pirates anyway."

"So?" Reborn grumbled.

"_So_," Yamamoto retorted, "if we can take Daemon's heart, he wouldn't follow Gamma's orders anymore. He'll be our hostage. And from then on, we can eliminate him, or whatever else we wish."

"So you're going to send one of us to infiltrate the Navy," Fon continued. "Preferably someone they think is on their side, yes?"

"Aye," Yamamoto replied, turning around to glance at Dino, who gulped visibly. "Someone Gamma trusts."

I-pin seemed to catch on to the meaning. "You can't send Dino back!" she cried. "What if he gets caught?"

"Who cares?" Byakuran, Kawahira, and Verde all said. Reborn rolled his eyes. Yamamoto coughed, probably trying to hide a snicker. Hibari didn't even bother covering up his smirk as he spoke up next.

"What if this idiot betrays us?" the raven asked. "We need someone to watch him."

There was a pause. It was a difficult task. The second infiltrator would have to board the ship with Dino as well, and probably help steal Daemon's heart too. Then, Mukuro coughed and walked up from his position by the wall, his good eye sweeping over the Pirate Lords.

"I'll watch him. I'm good at disappearing when not needed."

"You?" Lal glared. "Who are you?"

"Mukuro, Madame," the blue-haired man replied with a mock bow. "Just Mukuro."

"Why should we trust you?" Lal asked bluntly. However, Verde tapped his specs and said, "I don't see why not. I know this man. He'll do fine."

"You know him?" Byakuran asked, actually looking surprised. "How's that, Verde? You haven't left the Grotto for nine years."

The green-haired Pirate Lord gave Byakuran a pointed glare. It was a moment before everybody caught on.

"Hieee? Mukuro was a prisoner in the Pirate Grotto?" Tsuna gasped, shocked.

"For a short period of time only," Mukuro muttered, crossing his arms. "It was only a year before I broke out."

"You broke out of the Grotto?" Giotto repeated, stunned. "How?"

"Like I said," Mukuro smiled. "I'm good at disappearing when not needed."

The crew of the _Sun_ was quiet for a moment as they pieced together parts of their thoughts. Mukuro was a relatively quiet one. Yet, he'd always managed to show up when they least expected him. Hadn't he been the one who shot down two of the navy's men that boarded the _Vongola_? He was always the one who appeared when they at the most unlikely moment. Mukuro had always been around, yet none of them had ever bothered to understand or speak with him. And he disappears when he isn't needed…

"Why were you in the Grotto?" Kawahira asked suddenly. Mukuro tapped his lip. "I'm a thief," he replied slowly. "I stole something precious from the sea gods, and they imprisoned me for the rest of my life."

"How did you get out?" Lal asked skeptically. Mukuro shrugged. "Nobody needed me in the Grotto. I think the only person who noticed me as Verde, but we hardly talked. Since I was an unnecessary presence in there, I managed to escape. To this day, I think the guards still don't know I'm gone."

There was a pause. Then, Verde shrugged his bony shoulders and said simply, "I don't care if he does it or not. Anyone who lived through the Grotto and broke out of it by themselves has my respect."

A Lords murmured together, voices humming like a giant insect, but nobody objected. Yamamoto nodded at Mukuro and the blue-haired man stepped back to stand against the wall once more. Kawahira shifted in his seat and drummed his fingers on the table. "I've got a concern," he announced suddenly, light-coloured eyes piercing each of the other Pirate Lord's gaze. "Who's that woman in the back, with the blonde hair?"

Everybody turned to look where Kawahira was indicating. It was Elena. The young woman frowned, crossing her arms as well. "What do you mean?" she asked. Kawakhira cricked his neck, eyes never leaving her. "I mean, who are you _really_? From what I've heard, you know a lot about Daemon and this whole operation involves you, yet you're not a pirate, Pirate Lord, or a Fate. So what exactly is your business here?"

Elena scowled. "I'm in the employment of the Fates," she answered shortly.

Kawahira leaned back in his seat, turning to address Yamamoto. "Strange company you've got with you, Yamamoto. Tell me, why would a fallen sea goddess be travelling with your crew?"

Elena stiffened instantly. Yamamoto frowned. "Fallen sea goddess? I knew Elena was somethin' fancy and all, but I wouldn't dream of her being something so rare and…dangerous."

"How do you know this?" Elena asked, fury edging over her voice. She glared at Kawahira, who folded his hands neatly on his lap and replied in simply, "There are legends, missus. Legends of those who have fallen and hide among the humans, observing their lives and playing tricks on them. They seek the thrill they can no longer experience as a divine being. The way you speak, it's as if you wish for this war to take place."

Elena looked coldly down at the Pirate Lord, quiet for a moment. Then, a cruel smile melted on her face and she nodded at Kawahira. "Truly the instincts and skills of a Lord," she said, smirking. "Yes, it's true I'm a fallen goddess. Back in the Age of the First Lords, they bound me in human form for they feared my power over the seas, thus allowing you all to claim the Seven Seas as your own. I once resented this body, but now, after so long, my hatred has mellowed. I've no interest in revenge or any of that nonsense. I simply seek to move through time as the Fates direct me. That was my vow when I chose to protect the Seas rather than seek retribution."

Byakuran shook his head. "Why is it, Yamamoto, that you're always related to the dangerous ones?" he asked with a dramatic sigh. Yamamoto laughed humorlessly. "I didn't know of Elena's true identity. But, for the sake of argument, I'll say that I believe her story. I don't think she pursues revenge, aye?" He glanced at Elena, who nodded.

"I swear," she said quietly, "I would not turn against you. It was the Fate's orders that I serve as an asset to the Lords, and I shall carry out their wishes."

"I don't agree to this," Lal argued. "I want another opinion on this matter."

"Crew members don't have a say, Lal," Reborn snapped. "You're dwelling too much on this."

"And you're getting soft," she shot back, furious. Before the two angry Lords could start an argument though, Byakuran stood up with a stretch and said simply, "I suggest we call upon the Pirate King for his opinion."

There was a shocked silence, and during that ten second interval, all the blood had managed to drain out of Yamamoto's face. Hibari noticed, and leaned forwards, muttering, "What's with you?"

"I reject that notion." Fon said, frowning. "Why must we involve the King over such a simple matter?"

"It's not a simple matter," Lal said at once, also standing. "She's a _fallen sea goddess_. If you've ever seen Daemon before, you'd never say 'a simple matter' about anything that's no longer worthy of their post!"

"I say we consult him," Verde interrupted.

"No." Kawahira argued back. "You're all just asking to get shot."

"The Pirate King isn't someone to take lightly," Reborn agreed. "But let's see what the quiet one has to say about this, shall we?" with those words, Reborn turned around to face Yamamoto, who was standing near the head of the table. "What say you, Yamamoto? You brought her here. Make a choice."

The dark-haired man pressed his lips together. Elena held his gaze, blue eyes blazing with determination. Sighing, Yamamoto replied, "I believe her. I don't think this problem requires an answer from the Pirate King."

Byakuran frowned at him. "Why the frightened face, Yamamoto?" he asked scathingly before declaring, "I call upon Xanxus, the Pirate King!"

"Stop!" Yamamoto roared, almost leaping over the table to where Byakuran was, grabbing the white-haired man's collar. "Are you deranged, you sea rat?"

"Let go," Byakuran snarled, temper flaring up instantly. Yamamoto went for his sword and the other reached for his own blade, but before either of them draw their weapons, there was a violent gunshot and a bullet whizzed right in between the two of them, shattering a tall vase at the back of the room. Slowly, all the Pirate Lords turned to look at the other end of the room, directing their gazes up towards the doorway a set of rickety stairs led to.

A towering man was standing hunched in the doorway, too tall to stand upright, his dark black hair sticking up in different directions and his eyes glowing dangerously red. He wore a white shirt with a complicated looking jacket hanging around his shoulders, black trousers and long boots. Beads were braided into his hair and several multicoloured feathers hung from the black tresses as well. He was holding a large, custom pistol in his hand that was still smoking from the shot made earlier.

"Oh god," Reborn grumbled under his breath. "We woke him up."

There was a tense moment where the man glared down at all of them. Then, he spoke, and the low, baritone voice ground out the words, "What. The. Hell. Are you trash _doing_?"

Yamamoto weakly pressed his sword back against his hip and gave Byakuran a pointed stare. The white-haired man also retracted his weapon, looking up at the more than displeased man standing in the landing above them.

"Lord Xanxus. We've called you to resolve the matter of the credibility of a fallen sea goddess."

Xanxus' glowing red eyes swept over every person in the room, but Yamamoto could feel the glare linger over him for a second longer. Then, Xanxus growled and turned back into the room, grabbing an empty rum bottle and hurling it towards something. A second later, they all learned that Xanxus wasn't throwing the bottle at something, but rather _someone_, proven by an outrageously loud voice that bellowed, "VOIIIIIIIIII!" when the sound of breaking glass could be heard.

"Shut the hell up, scum! Bring the damned Code with you!" Xanxus roared back, slamming the door behind him and stomped down the stairs, the weak wood nearly splintering with every step. Everybody winced at the sound, slightly worried that the stairs would collapse and all hell would break loose.

Xanxus appeared at the head of the table, yanking back a high-backed chair and throwing himself down into it, kicking up his feet on the table. His glare was enough to burn holes into the wood. "You've got a lot of nerve, scum," he growled. "You're all lucky I was awake when you called, or someone would have a bullet through their head."

The threat lingered momentarily, until the door leading upstairs opened again and this time, an equally tall man with silver hair almost that almost fell past his waist. He, too, wore a dark coloured coat and had boots on. His hands, however, were wearing dark gloves and there was a strange sort of silvery glow on him that didn't seem natural. In the man's arms was a giant, dusty book.

"VOIIIIII, YOU BASTARD, DON'T THROW YOUR GARBAGE AT ME!"

Everybody winced at the volume of the man's voice. Yamamoto's eyes widened as he looked up and said, "Shark man?"

There was a pause, where the silver-haired man and Xanxus both looked at the Pirate Lord, but then 'Shark man' stormed down the stairs as well, slapping the giant book on the table so hard that a cloud of dust puffed up from the delicate looking pages. "Voi, you brat, don't you know better than to call this bastard when he's getting drunk off his face?" he growled, jerking his head in Xanxus' direction.

"I didn't call for him," Yamamoto shot back, avoiding eye contact with the red irises. The silver-haired man raised an eyebrow. "Tch. You're an idiot brat."

"Shut up, Squalo," Xanxus snarled, shoving Squalo away from him, making the man hiss indignantly. Ignoring the man's cussing at him, Xanxus opened the book with one hand and flipped through several chunks of the Code, hardly sparing a glance. Finally, he settled upon a page near the end of the giant volume, and the dark-haired man sat up in his chair, running a finger down the faded words to locate the sentence he was looking for.

"Here, trash," he growled. "The Pirate King has the choice to decline in offering his opinion in a matter that cannot be settled by the Lords alone. He can offer an alternative answer." Leaning back in his chair, Xanxus glared at all of them and snapped, "I could hardly care about any of you here. Die like the scum you are and quit bothering me. But if you're going to have trust issues amongst yourselves, you're all dead meat."

"That doesn't solve anything," Lal groaned. "Yamamoto, this is your entire fault!"

"Bringing Elena here does not mean she's going to betray us suddenly," Yamamoto countered. "She's had centuries to do so. Why bother retaliating now? And she is in the service of the Fates. I have witnessed it, as Reborn and Fon both have."

Fon bowed his head and Reborn gave a grudging grunt of agreement. Byakuran huffed impatiently. "We can't take this risk. We have to eliminate anything that stands in our way of freedom."

"How so?" Kawahira snapped. "Don't go making choices on your own."

The voices began to rise, and suddenly everybody was arguing, shouting over one another to be heard. The crew members under each Lord also began fighting with each other as well. Pushing, shoving, then weapons were pulled out, gunshots sounded and swords were suddenly clashing against one another. Yamamoto grumbled and pulled his hat down over his eyes. Hibari grabbed his arm and yelled over the noise, "What is this uselessness?"

"It's politics," Yamamoto replied gingerly.

Hibari bristled with fury. "And you expect to get anything done from this?" he roared. Yamamoto shook his head. Hibari's expression darkened dangerously, and before Yamamoto could stop him, he yanked the Pirate Lord's pistol out from his belt and climbed up onto the table, firing off a shot.

A deadly silence fell over the room, and Hibari growled in his throat, looking perfectly predatory. "Listen, you herbivores," he snarled, "never in my life have I seen such a pathetic, useless, _whiny_ bunch of brats who can't even settle an argument within themselves. Why do you care so damned much about which side is Elena on? Our time is short, and here you are wasting it away like fools, cowering in your little cave!"

His words ended in a shout, but Hibari wasn't finished yet. "You've got the largest group of government enforced sailors coming your way with one of the deadliest foes as their ally. Have you all really got so much time to act like children fighting over candy? You're all pitiful! I'll bite you all to death!"

"Whoa, now!" Yamamoto yelped, jumping up to drag a fuming Hibari off the table as the raven yanked out his tonfas. "Don't get carried away now."

"Who do you think you are?" Lal snapped. "You're only a crew member. You've got no right to speak!"

Voices yelled in agreement, and glares were directed towards Hibari. Yamamoto immediately stepped in front of the raven, shielding him from view like I-pin had done for Dino. He opened his mouth to speak, but was interrupted by a voice coming from the side.

"Then I think it's time we changed that, no?"

Everybody's heads turned as Fon emerged from the frazzled crowd, walking up to Hibari. The raven watched his father carefully; eyes narrowed, but did not say anything. Fon smiled and came to a stop in front of both of them. He reached into the collar of his Chinese robe and from it pulled out a long necklace, with a small sapphire dangling from a length of dark cord. He held it out to Hibari, who took it, a small look of confusion on his face. Yamamoto turned to stare at Fon. What was that man thinking?

"Good," Fon said lightly. "I pass onto you the title of the Pirate Lord of the South Asia Sea, Kyoya. You are now one of the Circle of Seven."

At those words, rage broke out again. Hibari stared at his father, the necklace still in the palm of his hand. Fon ruffled Hibari's hair a little, ignoring the noise behind him. "Let them hear what you have to say, son," the elder said quietly, before turning away from the two. Yamamoto watched him disappear into the crowd, and was thrown back momentarily to a conversation he'd had with the man some time ago.

_Fon only chuckled, placing his cup down. "I'm only curious. You will protect him, will you not?"_

_"Aye," Yamamoto replied. "To the ends of the earth, if I need to."_

_"Good," Fon said, nodding. "I'll be counting on you then, should I run into trouble in the war as a Pirate Lord."_

_"I'm a Pirate Lord too, you know." Yamamoto pointed out. However, Fon inclined his head and said simply, "Yes, you are, but your time is not nearly as spent as much as mine has been."_

Yamamoto shook his head clear of his past thoughts. If Fon was handing over his territory now…did that mean he believed that his time would soon be coming to an end?

"I refuse to accept this," Lal snapped. "We shouldn't have such changes like this!"

"What are you doing to do about it?" Hibari snapped back, apparently catching on to the events. "Shut up or I'll bite you to death!"

"This still doesn't solve the problem about the fallen sea goddess, you know," Reborn pointed out angrily.

"I call for an alternate offer from the King," Yamamoto said suddenly. Everyone stared. Xanxus glared and pushed through another section of the book before anybody could object, a vein twitching in his temple. The noise was apparently getting to him. Squalo stood by, barely holding in his smirk.

"Damned trash. As Pirate King, I command that a vote to elect Leader amongst the Seven to make the choice about this war. Now shut up or I'll make it rain blood, scum!"

Hushed voices scattered around the table. Yamamoto knew why. A vote would be useless in this situation, since each Lord would only ever vote for themselves. However, if that were the case…

"I vote for Byakuran," Byakuran smiled dangerously, standing up. "Lord of the Norwegian Sea."

"Lal Mirch, of the Coral Sea," Lal said briskly, crossing her arms.

"Kawahira, of the Black Sea," Kawahira offered up monotonously.

"Verde," the green-haired pirate muttered, uninterested. "Verde of the Beaufort Sea."

All eyes turned to the remaining three. Hibari took a breath and looked each of the Lords square in the eye, a burning look that made Yamamoto's heart skip a beat. "Hibari Kyoya, of the South Asia Sea."

Reborn shrugged and tapped his foot. "Reborn of the North Sea."

Everyone turned to Yamamoto, waiting with expectant look on their faces for the last answer. Xanxus cast a half-glare over to the Pirate Lord, a strange expression on his face. Yamamoto chuckled weakly and tipped his hat. "Yamamoto of the Caribbean Sea…"

The noise resumed again, pirates were talking in irritation and grumbling at the wasted time they had spent voting. However, Yamamoto's next words stopped them cold.

"Yamamoto of the Caribbean votes for Hibari Kyoya of the South Asia Sea."

For the third time that day, everybody was shocked to silence before all hell broke loose again. Mixed reactions of "You bastard!" and "Why would you vote for him?" were flying in every direction, only stopped when Xanxus suddenly fired several shots into the ceiling, making dust fall on all of them.

"BE QUIET, SCUM!"

The noise level died down. Then, slowly, Verde turned to Hibari with a curious expression on his face. "Very well…what say you, Hibari Kyoya, as the Leader of the Seven through a vote, as ordered by the Pirate King?"

Hibari bristled slightly, a frown on his face. Then, he tilted his chin up and said simply, "Elena will fight alongside us. Prepare every vessel that floats. At dawn, we're going to bite those herbivores to death."

"Hah," Byakuran chuckled. "I like that notion. And so, we shall go to war!"

Suddenly everybody in the room was up on their feet, drawing their weapons and cheering. Hibari watched, bemused, at the abrupt change of atmosphere in the room. A second ago nobody wanted to listen to him. Now, they were suddenly up and ready to go fight a battle.

"Funny little things, aren't they?" Yamamoto chuckled by his side. "They'll go on whatever their leaders proclaim. It's like they haven't got their own say at all, yet they complain about those who do."

"You're all mad," Hibari snapped bluntly. Yamamoto faked a hurt look.

"Maa, maa, Kyoya, you're such a cold man."

The room was full of action now, every pirate suddenly allies, and they were all planning how to defeat the Navy and Daemon. Lal, Reborn and Kawahira were having a conversation in the back, while Verde and Byakuran had somehow located several giant maps and were pointing out routes they could take to surround their enemy. The crew of the _Sun_ was interacting more with the other pirates now, talking of weapons and exchanging names. Yamamoto dusted his hat off before fitting it snugly on his head, finally glancing towards the man still seated in the high-backed chair at the head of the table.

Xanxus' eyes were closed, and for a moment Yamamoto thought he was asleep, but before the Pirate Lord could turn away, the King snapped, "Rude, aren't ya, boy?"

Yamamoto stiffened slightly, turning a weird noise he'd made into a cough. "Not at all. I just didn't imagine I would run into you here."

Xanxus cracked open a vivid red eye. "Fool. I live here, how would you expect to not see me at some point?"

Yamamoto muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, "Sorry."

Hibari watched the exchange curiously. There was something rather strange about the two of them. Xanxus growled and sat up, stomping his feet on the floor. "You're a coward, Takeshi. All these years that I've been here, you've never come by once. You're frightened to see me." The man smirked at the expression on Yamamoto's face.

"You would've killed me if I came. You said I was weak."

Xanxus snorted. "True. You are weak. You're just a brat. But what you did there during the vote took a gut or two, I'll give you that. But if you die in this war I'll kill you, you hear me?"

Yamamoto laughed out loud, a wary look on his face before turning to look at the King. "What? You've seen it all, done it all, you survived. It's the trick, innit? To survive?"

Xanxus stared, then shook his head, sparing a glare back at Squalo, who'd been listening in but had remained silent during the whole conversation. "It's not just about livin' forever, Takeshi. The trick is, living with_ yourself_ forever."

Yamamoto pressed his lips together, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. Xanxus glared and cast his glance over to Hibari, who was watching them. "So. You're Fon's son. You started this war, now what're you going to do about it?"

Hibari gave him an incredulous look. "What the hell do you think? We're going to fight, and those navy herbivores will lose!"

Squalo laughed out loud at that, and Xanxus grumbled, "You're a battle crazed idiot, boy. But you're not a complete nut job." He rose up, tugging his jacket around his shoulders and lifted scarred hand to run it through his jet black hair. His gaze passed from Yamamoto to Hibari before saying to the raven, "Watch after the moron for me," and walking back towards the stairs.

Hibari's eyebrows rose up in surprise at the Pirate King's words, looking between him and Yamamoto, whose face had just turned an interesting shade of red. Squalo, snickering at the look on Yamamoto's face, addressed Hibari and said, "Boss approves of you, brat, so don't get killed."

At that moment, a weird looking object went flying over and hit Squalo hard on the back of his head. "VOIIIIIIIIIIII! DAMN YOU, BOSS!"

Xanxus sneered at him. The Pirate King was halfway up the stairs before Yamamoto finally gathered the courage and shouted up to him, "How's Mother?"

Xanxus stopped in his tracks, slowly turning around to look down at Yamamoto. There was a stretch of silence between them, the high level of noise in the background almost becoming non-existent between the two men.

"Who knows?" Xanxus replied. "She's your mother."

"You're her husband," Yamamoto pointed out. Xanxus glowered at him.

"I don't live in the sea, you brat. You're out there more than I am."

"I've been busy!" Yamamoto argued back. That made the elder dark-haired man snort. "So have I. Now shut up, trash. If you see her, you better fight for her. It's her home that's being taken over." With those final words, Xanxus walked up the remaining flight of stairs and slammed the door behind him.

"VOI! OPEN UP THE DOOR, BASTARTD!"

Yamamoto shook his head as Squalo barged upstairs, ending their conversation. "Well, that just answers a whole lot of questions," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. The motion was so similar to the gesture Xanxus did a moment ago that Hibari, who had been in slight denial, couldn't even pretend to not believe the fact now.

"He's your father."

Yamamoto looked up. "Hmm."

"The _Pirate King_ is your father."

"Aye."

Hibari exhaled. "I knew you were weird," he grumbled crossing his arms. Yamamoto's jaw dropped. "You're so mean!"

"Tch. Don't be an idiot. Who's your mother, then?"

Yamamoto tilted his head, tapping his lip. "My mother…well, how do I put this? She's one of the two who built this place, aye."

"Built this place? But you said—"

"She's a sea goddess." Yamamoto said quietly. "The sea goddess known as Nami."

Hibari stared. "You're not…human?"

"Half," Yamamoto replied. "My father is human."

Hibari's brain struggled slightly to catch up with the thoughts. "But how?"

"It's in the prophecy somewhere. Who knows? I'm a strange child. I've got a bit of an affinity with the water, so maybe that's why I managed to live for so long."

Yamamoto laughed a little, making Hibari roll his eyes and drag him back into the crowd.

"That herbivore was right. You do need someone to look after you." Yamamoto's eyes widened as Hibari turned and hugged him, displaying a rare show of affection. The raven kissed his neck, making Yamamoto blush slightly before hugging back.

"Maa, maa…looks like I will have to survive this war, won't I?"

"Hmph," Hibari mumbled, feeling Yamamoto's strong arms pull him closer. "You better."

* * *

><p>It was still dark when the ships sailed silently out of Waterless Cove and into the open. It was rare that everything was so quiet. Anchors were raised, sails were unfurled and weapons were readied. Hibari, being the Leader of the Seven, had to sail out first, so Yamamoto carefully navigated the <em>Sun<em> outbound, weaving through small rowboats floating about and the other Lord's ships. The dark-haired man cast a final glance back towards the castle. Was it just his imagination, or was there an outline of a man standing by the highest window, watching them sail to battle?

Outside, it was quiet as the ships lined up one by one, waiting for their enemy to approach. The tension was high in the air, and murmurs of prayers to the sea gods and spirits could be heard. Hibari huffed at that.

"Don't worry about it," Yamamoto said softly. "They're just worried."

"Then un-worry them," Hibari hissed irritably. "We can't have these herbivores shake like leaves before going into battle."

Yamamoto coughed. "Pep talks aren't my thing, mate, but as you wish,"

Before the raven could question what the other was up to, Yamamoto ran to the rails of the deck, jumping up and balancing upon the polished wood, giving a small cough to gain everyone's attention before addressing all the pirates on the ships next to the _Sun_.

"Who's frightened here?"

All the pirates stared at him. Yamamoto grinned easily down upon them, waiting for a reply. Nobody responded.

"Liars. I can see all of you sea rats mumbling your prayers, taking out your charms, hoping for luck, aye? Are you all so scared of death?" Those who had been doing so hastily stopped their movements, watching the Pirate Lord.

"Then what shall we die for? You will listen to me. Listen! The Navy and Daemon will be looking for us, _all_ of us, to hunt. And what will they see? Frightened bilge rats aboard a derelit ship? No. No, they'll see free men, and freedom! And what the enemy will see is the flash of our cannons. They will hear the ring of our swords, and they will know what we can do. By the sweat of our brows, and the strength of our backs…and the courage of our hearts."

There was a pause as Yamamoto drew a breath, and at that moment, he could see it. The expression on his crew member's faces. The fear was no longer evident. The determination to truly fight for freedom had been inspired by him. Somehow, Yamamoto felt that this was a battle they could win.

"Gentlemen…ladies. Hoist the colours."

A canon went off in the distance. As the Gamma's ship and the _Spade_ sailed around the side of the cliffs, the pirates roared and fired their pistols into the air. Swords were drawn; flags were waving in the winds as the sun rose in the East.

They were at war.

* * *

><p>I'm sorry I'm late. And this is a ridiculously long chapter. I think I hit 7k words on this one. Sorry for the overload of info I dropped into this chapter. A lot of stuff was explained brought in…such as Elena's true form, Mukuro having spent time in the Grotto, Hibari becoming a Pirate Lord, Xanxus being Yamamoto's dad…wow, that's actually a lot to digest.<p>

I stole a lot of lines from _At World's End_ for this chapter. I really do adore the third movie –scream-. Especially the exchange between Jack Sparrow and his father, and Elizabeth's speech before they fight. Boss moments.

Also. I should mention that _Thieves and Beggars_ won't have parts of the fourth movie in it. I haven't watched it, and I don't really…want to. I liked the way _Pirates_ ended at the third movie, and the fact that Will and Elizabeth didn't show up in the fourth one…meh. They were two-thirds of the reason why I watched. Jack and Barbossa were the other one-third.

Maybe there'll be a sequel to this…I don't know. But let's wait until I finish this before we figure that out. There'll be two…three…four chapters left? It's gotta end somewhere :'D In any case, thank you for reading! Comments are much appreciated, and I'm grateful for many of the encouraging comments/suggestions you guys leave. I love you all~! :3

-BlackStar


	14. Chapter 14

Thieves and Beggars

So the last time I didn't finish the chapter in time, my hubu threatened to make me sit on my knees facing a wall for five minutes. I'm not lying. I feel…tragic. IT'S NOT FAIR, OKAY. –crying- Which is the reason why I literally spat this chapter out the day after. I'm dead. :'D

I should warn you guys…this _is _a war. This chapter might be a sad one. So…sorry if I make anybody shed tears over character deaths or my horrible writing skills. But in any case, shall we get started? :D

Also, **kikyokyoyahbari**, I'm still relatively noob to the Fanfiction community…and I'm not sure how to find you :'D But I thank you for the offer! xD If you have time, I'd love to read a story by you~ :3

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fourteen<p>

_He who sends those who're lost  
>Back to the realm others have sought<br>Over and under and over again  
>He who gave his heart is named the Ferryman<br>He who sails and delivers fate's plans  
>Once in ten years will travel to land<br>Where he wills his heart is kept  
>Take his heart, and yours must be left<br>Until the next Ferryman sails the seas again_

"Uni."

The young girl blinked and looked up to see Aria and Luche watching her, their dark eyes expectant. Uni paused, biting her lip.

"What is it, Aria, Luche?"

Luche reached out to take the little girl's hand. "You started dreaming again," she said gently. "What did you see?" It was only now did Uni realized she was crying; droplets of tears running down her little face.

"I saw…I saw…a war," Uni whispered, wiping her eyes. "A horrible war at sea. And everybody was fighting."

"So it's true," Aria said quietly. "They're really going to fight."

"There was red," Uni continued. "Red, flying in the distance and into the sky…and then there was a storm. A huge storm. And the chest…the chest was stolen, and the two of the fallen disappeared."

Luche froze. "Elena…" she murmured.

Uni suppressed a small sob. "And the chest," she whispered, as though in a trance. "There's a heart in the chest. But…it's not his…"

Arian and Luche both exchanged looks. Could it be…?

"_The heart has been replaced."_

* * *

><p>The roar of the canons and the sounds of bullets striking against the sides of the ship filled Yamamoto's ears as he steered towards Gamma's ship, with Daemon's <em>Spade<em> as well as two more navy fleets closely following. Behind the _Sun_ sailed four other ships, Byakuran's _Mare_, Kawahira's _Segno_, Lal's _Nuvola _and Reborn's ship (hastily named _Chaos_).

Within moments, they clashed, and pirates and sailors alike sung aboard the opposing side's ships, landing with loud thumps and drawing their weapons. Among the fray were Daemon's men, strange, cross-breeds of sea creatures and humans, laughing manically as they jumped on the _Sun_. Almost immediately, they were accosted by Hibari, Giotto and I-pin. Several fish-men fell off the ship from the force of Hibari's tonfas smashing into their faces, Giotto drew his sword and cut through two at once and I-pin had clearly learned martial arts well from her father, since the rest of the first wave of invaders had already been kicked over the rail and splashed back into the sea.

"Don't let them come aboard!" Hibari bellowed.

The fight had only just begun. Yamamoto gripped the wheel and glanced around. "Lambo!" he shouted. The curly haired teen squeaked and looked up. Yamamoto furiously waved for him to come over. "Take the wheel, Lambo!"

"Me?" Lambo asked, shaking from head to toe. "But I'm just—I—I can't—"

"You can," Yamamoto said firmly, grabbing Lambo's hand and planting the teen's palm onto the wooden surface. "I need you to steer the _Sun_ for me while I fight. You can do this, Lambo."

For a moment, the boy's face paled, but then a rare glint of determination passed through his eyes, and he placed his other hand on the wheel.

"Aye, Captain!"

Yamamoto nodded before running down from the raised section of the ship, searching frantically for the person he needed to find right now. He located a mob of blonde hair and ran up at once.

"Dino," Yamamoto hissed, grabbing Dino's arm. "Go! Now!"

Dino bit his lip, nodding firmly. "Where's Mukuro?" he asked weakly. A voice behind him suddenly said, "Over here, Cavallone."

They turned to see the blue-haired man standing next to Dino, his sword by his side. Without a word, Mukuro jerked his head towards the far side of the ship. Dino nodded again and followed. They had decided beforehand that the two would sneak off once the battle began, and hope to remain unnoticed until Dino boarded the navy's ship. A bellow from his right alerted the Pirate Lord of other invading enemies. Drawing his sword as well, Yamamoto plunged headlong into battle.

Far away on the other side, Daemon hissed in annoyance as he steered, watching a wave of long blonde hair and a woman dressed in white dash about aboard the _Sun_, fighting alongside the pirates.

"Elena…why do you torture me so?"

"What's the matter? Troubled thoughts?"

Daemon growled and turned to see Gamma climbing aboard the _Spade_ from the side as though he owned the ship. It annoyed the spirit to no end.

"Go away, scumbag," Daemon snapped. "There's no place for you aboard my vessel."

"On the contrary," Gamma replied. "There's enough room for the both of us."

"I'll be damned there is!" Daemon roared in fury. Gamma's eyes flashed and he jerked his hand. A second later, two sailors rushed forwards, one carrying an old, stained wooden chest, the other pointing his rifle at it. The elegantly engraved container was locked, but a bullet would definitely go through the aged wood. Daemon's face paled, and his voice constricted. "You wouldn't—"

"I would." Gamma said harshly. "I'll take over the _Spade_ from here on. I want you to go aboard the _Sun_. Kill Yamamoto Takeshi."

Daemon bristled in rage. "The _Spade_ will sail as its captain commands!"

"AND ITS CAPTAIN WILL SAIL IT AS COMMANDED!"

Gamma's voice had risen to a shout, his eye gleaming with madness. Daemon's chest heaved, looking murderous, but with a short, sidelong glance at the chest in the sailor's hands, he turned, snatching up his sword and dissolved into mist.

"Tsk," Gamma snarled, grabbing the wheel. "Once this mess is over, I'll be damned sure to clear the seas of lovesick trash like that…" he turned and jerked his head at the sailors. "Take the chest down into the headquarters. Don't let anybody near it."

"Yes, Commodore!"

The two men vanished down the steps, and the Commodore had just turned his attention back to the front of the ship when a breathless voice from below him called out, "Gamma!"

It was Dino. He was leaning against the side of the rails, breathing heavily, splashed from head to toe. He shook his blonde hair out of his eyes and said, "I couldn't find you aboard the _Millifore_. So you were here?"

"Yes," Gamma replied, unable to hide his surprise. "So you made it off that bastard's ship?"

"I jumped when the first wave of Daemon's men came aboard," Dino said. "I took a rowboat with me."

"Good man," Gamma said, grabbing a rifle leaning against the rail of the ship and tossed it to Dino. "Watch the helm for me. I'm going to be steering the _Spade_ until Daemon's usefulness has run its course."

"Aye," Dino said, checking the weapon. "I'll be down below."

"Good," Gamma replied, far too intent on keeping an eye on the _Sun_ to really pay attention to Dino. Once he was finished with Daemon, Cavallone probably wouldn't be needed either.

At that point in time, Gamma still hadn't noticed, but the blonde man he had been planning on discarding was no longer standing behind him. However, he hadn't moved towards the helm as directed either.

He just simply wasn't there.

It was as though he vanished when he wasn't needed.

-line break-

Below deck, Dino Cavallone watched with a wary eye as the 'copy' of him disappeared. Now that Gamma thought he was heading towards the helm, he was free to sneak into the headquarters and retrieve the chest.

Gripping his sword, the blonde bravely dashed through the shadows scattered across the slimy, slippery surface of the ship.

Mukuro's plan was working.

-line break-

It was pure chaos aboard the _Sun_. Sailors and fish men alike were crawling over the rails like insects, leaping aboard and attacking like madmen. It didn't help that Yamamoto was short on crew members either. Gokudera and Ryohei were below deck, manning the canons, Lambo was at the wheel, and Dino and Mukuro were infiltrating Gamma's ship. That left himself, Hibari, I-pin, Fon, Elena, Tsuna and Giotto on deck.

Outnumbered almost fifteen to seven.

What a pleasant day this was turning out to be.

The fight raged on, the ship tossing and turning in the waves, cannonballs and bullets whizzing by their heads and smashing into the sides of the vessel. Yamamoto grimaced as he heard another shell crash through his hull.

"Damnation, people, will you all _please stop blowing holes into my ship_?"

"That's what you're worried about?" Hibari snarled, kicking a sailor overboard and turning almost immediately to slam the butt of his tonfa into a fish man's head.

"It's my ship! We'll sink if they keep shooting at us!" Yamamoto complained, stabbing his sword through whatever that swordfish/man was as he charged the Pirate Lord.

"You're hopeless!"

"Cold hearted bastard!"

"Herbivore!"

Yamamoto huffed and spun on his heel just as Hibari turned around, both sensing attackers on their backs.

"Behind you, idiot Takeshi!"

"Hibari! On your right!"

They both lashed out, Hibari's tonfas striking a sailor in the face and Yamamoto's sword piercing through a weird conch shell man. Their two enemies staggered and fell, leaving the two pirates entwined in each other's arms. Hibari stared up into Yamamoto's dark brown eyes, seeing familiar flecks of red in the dark irises that he'd never noticed before. It was hard to believe that this idiot had managed to completely ensnare him in his affections.

Just as the raven was about to pull back and initiate another attack, Yamamoto suddenly grabbed the shorter one's arm. "What are you—?" Hibari snapped, glaring, but Yamamoto's next words made him freeze on the spot.

"Kyoya, marry me?"

Hibari's jaw dropped, and on instinct, his tonfa went flying up and smashed into Yamamoto's face, making the Pirate Lord stumbled back. Losing his balance, Yamamoto would have fallen had Hibari not subconsciously reached out to grab the front of the other's shirt. Really, why was it that that idiot pirate always came up with the strangest things to say at the strangest moments?

"This is hardly the time—!"

Hibari staggered in his words as a giant splash rocked the ship, and a dark shape below the _Sun_ indicated that there was something in the waters attempting to overturn the giant vessel.

"Look out!"

Everybody, sailor, pirate and fish men alike all dove for cover as tentacles came bursting out of the waters, smashing about and sending things flying. The slimy appendages grabbed at whatever it could, not caring if it was friend or foe, and tore through one of the sails before dragging several sailors and a crabby looking guy down into the waters.

"What—what is that?" I-pin gasped, sliding on the wet deck.

"Daemon's ally! It's a sea creature from one of the ancient legends of the sea!" Yamamoto yelled back, helping the young woman up. "Watch for the poisonous stinger from its mouth!"

"Damn it," Hibari snarled. "There's too much going on! Where the hell is Dino!"

"He'll come"! I-pin yelled. "I know it."

Hibari shook his head, pushing his sister wordlessly out of the way so that he could knock out an incoming enemy. Now that the creature from the deep had temporarily retreated, the attacks had begun again. Yamamoto fought hard, and reached for Hibari when he had the chance again.

"Kyoya, I'm completely serious. Stay with me. Forever."

Hibari struggled to put the words together, face flushing an adorable pink. "It's not that I—_why on earth are you asking me this now_?"

"It's now or never!" Yamamoto yelled and pushed Hibari's head down so he could thrust his sword through a sailor before the guy could shoot at Giotto. Hibari huffed furiously, shoving Yamamoto out of the way so he could trip a foe hurrying along the deck. It was ridiculous how well they worked as a team, even if Hibari didn't really want to admit it.

"You pushed me into the sea the first time we met!"

"Ah, yes, that was…" Yamamoto trailed off, unable to stop the grin from coming back onto his face at the memory. "Sorry, mate."

"You freak of nature died at Isle de Muta!"

"I apologize for that."

"You made us fall off the Edge of the World to find you!"

"Hey, that was Elena's fault!"

"You kissed me without permission!"

"Kyoya," Yamamoto said seriously, grabbing the raven's hand, "Do you normally remember so much about other people, or is it just me?"

Hibari turned even redder at that, choosing to send yet another fish guy sprawling with his tonfa before answering. "I hate you for being like this! I hate you for turning me into a complete mess!" he shouted, head butting Yamamoto. The dark-haired pirate threw his arms around Hibari, dragging him close so that he could whisper into the other's ear.

"All I know is that anybody who'd go over the Edge of the World to bring me back is worth keeping. I love you, Kyoya, I really do."

Hibari remained quiet for a moment, taking in the gravity of Yamamoto's words. Then, before the other could figure out what he was up to, Hibari broke free and ran towards his sister, grabbing I-pin's arm.

"Brother?" she asked, surprised. Hibari took a deep breath before saying in a rush, "I-pin. I don't think I'm lucky."

"What?" the young woman asked, slightly confused. She caught sight of Yamamoto fighting a little ways away, glancing back every so often to look at Hibari. Did something happen between the two of them?

"I don't think I'm lucky," Hibari huffed, blocking an attacker from his sister. "Because I can't deny my feelings for someone anymore."

I-pin looked surprised; remembering the conversation she and her brother had in what felt like centuries ago. Then, her face melted into a huge smile. She hugged her brother fiercely, whispering, "I'm glad, brother. I'm glad you found someone special too."

Momentarily at loss for words, Hibari hugged back before looking up to see his father standing in front of him. The knowing look on Fon's face told the raven that the elder already knew everything.

"Go on, Kyoya," Fon said with a smile. "Don't leave poor Yamamoto waiting."

The _Sun_ shuddered, and there was a horrible keening cry from the waves as a dark shape emerged again. "It's here!" Giotto warned, running past the group. Hibari cussed and ran back to Yamamoto while I-pin and Fon hurried away from the rails.

"You're really okay with brother and Yamamoto, father?" I-pin asked breathlessly.

Fon chuckled, keeping a sharp eye on the waves. "You know, Yamamoto is a lot like your mother, I-pin. If it wasn't for her, I would have been lost among the clouds, drifting in every direction without a dream or a goal, like your aloof brother has been these nine years. Yet, Yamamoto's the type of person who'll keep him grounded. That's exactly what Kyoya needs."

The waters frothed as the creature's tentacles rose again, slamming onto the deck and dragging screaming sailors with it. The crew of the _Sun_ dodged and weaved between the flailing, slimy limbs, striking wherever they could. Giotto and Elena were standing on the far end of the ship, rifles crackling with every shot. Yamamoto and Hibari both cut away at the appendages, leaving long gashes that made the creature's eerie call reverberate from the depths of the sea. Then, as quickly as it had surfaced, the tentacles vanished again, taking out a chunk of the rail as it slithered back beneath the waves.

"Damn it, the thing's filthy," Yamamoto grumbled. Hibari snorted and jabbed a finger at the other. "Don't you dare complain about the state of your ship, herbivore," he growled. Yamamoto shot him a wounded look.

"Whyever not, Kyoya?"

"Because," Hibari snorted, looking away, "You have me, and I won't stand for being second. Especially after a _ship_, you hear?"

Yamamoto heard the words, but had he not seen Hibari's mouth move, he wouldn't have actually believed what the raven was saying. Hibari smirked at the dumbfounded look on the Pirate Lord's face.

"What's with that herbivore expression on your face? I didn't walk all the way over to my sister just to give her a hug, you know."

"Kyoya—"

"INCOMING!" Giotto's voice interrupted, and instantly, everybody dove for cover as another wave of canons smashed into the ship. Wooden splinters flew everywhere and a haze of smoke hung over the deck, staining the air with the smell of ash, fire, and death.

"_Damn it_," Yamamoto cussed, wiping blood from this face. "We have to end this!"

Hibari pushed his hair back, getting unsteadily to his feet. The ship was rocking again. "Yamamoto! It's coming!" he yelled.

"Brace yerselves!" the Pirate Lord bellowed to his crew, and everybody was instantly on alert. However, nobody could have prepared for what came next.

The waters became still. Perfectly, absolutely, completely still.

Nobody dared to move. Even the sounds of the battle seemed to have evaporated away, or perhaps that was because the two other navy fleets battling with Reborn, Byakuran, Lal, Kawahira and Verde were much further away. The _Sun_ creaked, waters lapping lightly against the wooden hull.

Hibari breathed slowly, his gaze darting from side to side, looking for their enemy. Yamamoto stood back to back with him, watching the crew members wait. Anticipation hung in the air. What was going on?

Then, the _Sun_ shuddered madly. With a great splintering noise, the entire creature of the deep surfaced, nearly landing on the ship, tilting it to one side.

"Damn!" Yamamoto cussed as they were all knocked off their feet and went sliding down the slippery deck right towards the sea. From the foaming waters a giant, glassy yellow eye was staring soullessly up at them, and a circular mouth lined with razor sharp pincers nearly large enough to swallow a small dinghy. Just above the folded flaps of skin along the mouth was a long, bone-white sting nearly as long as an oar, as thick as a post with a gleaming sharp tip. Somehow, Yamamoto had a feeling that it wasn't just an ordinary sting.

The crew of the _Sun_ crashed into the sides of the tilting ship, desperately trying to keep from falling into the tentacles that thrashed wildly about, tearing through sails and shattering the wooden surfaces on the vessel.

Yamamoto squinted at the giant creature. "Shoot at its mouth!" he bellowed up to the others. "That's its weakest spot!"

Those who could grab for rifles immediately took note; Giotto and Elena, as well as Lambo were taking aim already. Others were grabbing for sharp objects, such as broken wooden boards and were stabbing it into the soft, meaty parts above the razor sharp pincers. The creature keened again, its eye rolling around in its socket below the waters, as though searching for the cause of its pain. The tentacles contracted, and the ship shook wildly again, almost throwing the pirates overboard and into its open maw.

"Look out!"

"Watch the tentacles!"

There was a yelp from the side as one of the green-tinted appendages smashed into the side of the mast, and a smaller pole came swinging down. It knocked Tsuna off the side of the ship, and the small boy landed with a splash into the water.

"Tsuna!" Giotto yelled, struggling over to his little brother. The brunette emerged, gasping, crawling back up the rail of the ship as it continued to tilt. "Behind you!" Elena shrieked, firing the gun. A large appendage was reaching for the Tsuna as he struggled to climb back aboard the _Sun_. But before the creature could reach the brunette, a blur came out of nowhere and kicked the tentacle away from Tsuna, landing with a thump on the shattered rail. It was I-pin.

"Be careful!" Lambo yelped, "It's coming again!"

"Climb up!" Giotto yelled out, hanging onto the ropes dangling from the mast.

I-pin dragged Tsuna to his feet and the two of them started to climb up the side of the ship, near the wheel where Lambo was. The curly haired boy extended his hand to them, urging them to hurry when suddenly, the ship jolted, nearly sending the pirates flying off again.

"Damn it!" Yamamoto cussed. "I-pin! Tsuna! Get away from there!"

But even as he said it, the Pirate Lord knew that they could not get away in time. As he struggled to climb over to the other end of the ship with Hibari and Giotto hot at his heels, the creature's eye followed them as they went, the tentacles squeezing the ship and making the wood splinter under the pressure. At this rate, the _Black Sun_ was going to shatter and sink. Never had any of them felt so helpless as they watched the creature reach for their friends.

"I-pin!" Hibari shouted, desperation in his voice. It was a heartbreaking sound.

Instantly, there was a blinding flash of light. The waters roared as something huge, something vividly _red_ came streaking out of the sky and struck at all the tentacles reaching for I-pin, Tsuna and Lambo. The force of the blow sent the creature reeling back momentarily, letting go of the _Sun_, which tilted back more onto its other side, allowing the pirates to gain solid footing.

"What was that?" Elena gasped.

"Up there," Giotto choked, pointing. They all looked up.

It was Fon who was standing on the crooked mast, a glowing red aura surrounding him. His shirt was torn open, the Chinese silk robe flapping behind him like wings in the swift ocean breeze. There was a dark, cruel look in his eyes, and it became clear in an instant why Fon was once chosen to be a Pirate Lord. The unforgiving gleam in the dark irises promised just enough bodily harm to whoever crossed onto his territory and harmed those he cared about.

"Father…" Hibari whispered, blood going cold at the sight.

Smoothly, and looking like he wasn't even balanced on a shuddering, half-crooked post, Fon closed his eyes and moved into a martial arts stance, strength radiating off him like the sun's rays. Far below, the sounds of frothing water could be heard. The former Lord of the South Asia Sea exhaled, waiting for his foe to emerge.

"What's going on?" Giotto whispered. "What's he doing? He can't fight that thing alone!"

"He can," Hibari said at once.

"It's suicide!" Giotto argued back weakly.

"That's his _Bakuren Shippuuken_," Hibari said quietly. "I recognize it. I've seen it three times in my life and that was three times too many for a child. He won't lose."

The waters bubbled wildly to the point where only white foam could be seen at the surface. Nobody dared to move. A high-pitched keening noise in the air could be heard and the _Sun_ jerked viciously as the creature finally burst from the water, its jaws reaching upwards for its meal, pincers clicking wildly and tentacles shooting towards the mast—

"_Bakuryuu Enbu_."

There was a brilliant flash of red and suddenly, blood was falling over them like rain as nearly all the limbs of the creature were severed in one clean movement. The crew yelled and ducked as heavy rolls of flesh came slamming down hard onto the deck before sliding off and sinking into the water, momentarily staining the sea with red. The creature clung pathetically onto the mast with only a few of its tentacles left, eye spinning madly at the pain. There was an almighty _snap_ as the top of the pole broke under its weight, and the creature fell again, struggling to stay aboard the _Sun_. Fon's eyes glowed as he jumped off the wooden mast and landed on the side of the rail. A final burst of colour showered over them all, and the creature wailed as it was defeated, writhing and turning and slowly dying as it sunk back into its watery grave…

And brought along with it the victor of their battle.

A thin, white blur shot out from the waves and struck in cold blood. Fon choked, staggering backwards, hand coming down to his abdomen, where the long sting of the creature pierced through his stomach and emerged from his back in a spray of blood.

Hibari felt as though all the air had been knocked out of him. Distantly in his brain, Yamamoto's voice said, _"Watch for the poisonous stinger from its mouth!"_

It was as though his body was acting on its own. As the _Sun_ finally landed back upright, the creature finally slid away into the waves and Fon collapsed onto his side on deck, Hibari and I-pin were instantly by his side.

"Father! Father!" I-pin screamed, grabbing Fon's hand. "Father! Please, not this!"

Hibari dropped to his knees, face whiter than sheet, eyes wide and staring. His hands touched something wet on the deck, and to his horror, it was blood. Fon coughed, his entire body shaking. Hibari could see his veins rise up in his father's arms from the poison spreading through his body.

"Father! Wake up!" I-pin sobbed, tears running down her face. "Open your eyes!"

Fon's hand tightened around I-pin's small hand, trying to smile for her sake. It only made I-pin cry even harder, holding on as firmly as she could even though Fon was slipping away with every passing second.

"Don't you dare," Hibari whispered, unable to bring his voice up. "Don't you _dare_ leave us like this…you liar, you said you wanted to see us grow up!"

Fon's eyelids fluttered weakly. "…sorry…for not being…there…Kyoya…"

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Hibari could feel the wetness trickling down his face as well, and he refused to acknowledge the feeling, trying to convince himself that it was seawater running down from his soaked hair…it was salt too, so what was the difference?

"Don't leave! You have to fight! You said for them to hear what I have to say, so now _you_ have to hear me speak!"

Fon's grip weakened, his hand sliding from I-pins' grasp. The young woman choked, clutching her father's hand even harder. The dying man's time was nearly up. Hibari swiped his hand across his eyes, trying to get rid of the blurriness.

"You're my father! Don't go!"

Fon's eyes widened. For a moment, twin onyx eyes met, one burning with a silent plea to stay and the other one slowly fading away.

"Kyoya…thank you…"

I-pin doubled over, screaming, and Hibari's voice cracked as he yelled his agony up into the skies as their parent peacefully closed his eyes and departed from the world of the living.

The crew of the _Sun_ stood still, unable to move after witnessing Fon's death. I-pin hugged her father's body, shaking with sobs, and Hibari just shook, eyes glassy as he stared upwards, voice breaking like glass with every shudder that passed through him. Then, Yamamoto hurried forward, touching Hibari's shoulder.

"Kyoya—"

"Let go," Hibari choked, flinging Yamamoto's hand off him.

"Kyoya, get up—"

"SHUT UP!" Hibari screamed, turning on Yamamoto, drawing his fist back to hit the taller, but the Pirate Lord grabbed Hibari's thin wrist, yanking him into a tight, fierce hug, tucking Hibari's head under his chin as he pulled him away from Fon's body.

"Shhh, Kyoya, it's alright. You're alright. Easy, easy now…"

Hibari cursed at him, kicked him in the leg and struggled madly, but Yamamoto could feel the tremors in Hibari's body as the raven desperately tried to suppress his tears. Lambo and Tsuna approached I-pin carefully, and she allowed herself to be pulled back as well, crying into her friend's hugs and embraces. Elena stepped forward, and in a rare act of compassion, she enveloped I-pin in a comforting hold, patting her head and gazing sadly down at the fallen pirate. Yamamoto pressed a kiss to the top of Hibari's head, rocking him backwards and forwards as gently as he could.

_You will live your life confined to land  
>Chase after reason and the red-cloaked man<br>Lose what you cherish twice and recover only one  
>Claim thy name and water, and curse be undone<em>.

Hibari's prophecy had been completed. He'd recovered Yamamoto, but in the end, he'd lost his father. The Fates were such cruel, cruel beings.

"Kyoya, don't cry…don't cry…it's alright…shhh…"

"Hibari? I-pin?"

Everybody turned in shock as Dino and Mukuro appeared at the side of the ship. I-pin let out a strangled sob as she reached for her fiancé, and Elena let her run up to the blonde man, watching the young woman fall into his arms with a longing expression on her face. Dino held I-pin close, looking shocked at the former Pirate Lord's body on the deck.

"What…happened?" he whispered numbly.

"Let's not talk about that now," Yamamoto said firmly, letting go of Hibari once he felt that the raven was calm enough. "You're back; did you get it?"

"Here," Mukuro said, bringing a small chest into view. Everybody sucked in a breath.

"Pass it here, mate," Yamamoto said slowly, walking forwards with Hibari by his side.

"Are you going to stab his heart?"

It was Elena who had spoken, and she looked as though she was regretting her sudden outburst, but there was a desperate look on her pale face. Yamamoto tilted his head towards her, asking in return, "Are you against it?"

Elena hesitated, a flurry of emotions crossing over her face. "It's—it's not that simple," she implored. "Is there really no other way to end this?"

"Do you have a better suggestion?" Yamamoto pointed out sharply, watching Elena's reaction. The woman struggled with her words, but in the end, hung her head, going strangely quiet. Nobody said anything.

"We should end this now," Mukuro said quietly. Yamamoto nodded. "I'll finish it."

"_Will you now, Yamamoto Takeshi_?"

Yamamoto turned white, and in an instant, Mukuro was swept off his feet. The blue-haired man slammed into the rails and crumpled onto the deck, unconscious, and the chest bounced away towards the back of the ship.

"Daemon!" Yamamoto roared, and leapt at the form of the sea spirit that had appeared on the deck of the _Sun_ in a sweep of dark blue mist. Daemon sneered and drew his sword, and the two weapons clashed, sending a sparks flying.

"How did you like my little pet?" he hissed at Yamamoto, making the other's blood boil like lava.

"SCUM!" Yamamoto bellowed, slicing, and Daemon leapt back. The two of them chased each other fiercely, blades slamming against one another and the screech of metal piercing through the air. Daemon glared and vanished into mist, reappearing at the end of the ship. He reached for the chest, but was forced to leap backwards at the sudden spray of bullets that flew in his direction from Giotto, Lambo's rifles. Daemon raised his sword and cleaved at the mast, and a huge chunk of wood fell, forcing the two pirates to scatter before they were crushed. Tsuna darted forwards to pull Mukuro out of harm's way as part of the _Sun_ was completely destroyed, falling with a splash into the sea.

"Father—!" I-pin gasped, but nothing could be done. They couldn't even see Fon's body as the side of the deck sunk beneath the waves, and disappearing into darkness.

"Damn it!" Yamamoto cursed, running towards his foe again. He blocked Daemon from reaching the chest, and the two of them fought madly once more. The unsteady vessel groaned under the abuse and shuddered, tilting to once side again. The chest slid along the wet surface, now towards the trapdoor leading down to the hull of the ship. Daemon went for it again, but Yamamoto suddenly struck, the blade of his sword nicking the side of Daemon's face. The spirit raged, landing a solid cut across Yamamoto's stomach that sent him flying backwards.

"Damn you, Yamamoto!" Daemon hissed, but was instantly struck down by two pirates dropping from above. Hibari snapped his tonfa across Daemon's neck and choked him. While the spirit was trapped, I-pin landed in front of the two and executed a mind-blowing side kick into Daemon's stomach, chest and chin before spinning around and punching him as hard as she could in the solar plexus. Daemon gagged, unable to free himself from the elder Hibari siblings' grip.

"This," I-pin growled, turning and smashing the heel of her foot into Daemon's nose with pinpoint accuracy, "is for our friends!"

Hibari drew out the other tonfa that wasn't being used to choke Daemon and slammed it into the man's back, almost snapping his spine. "That's for beating _my_ idiot," he snarled. He shoved Daemon off him and grabbed hold of the spirit's arms. He dropped into a low stance, and with a fierce yell, Hibari threw over Daemon his back and onto the ground, making him slam his head painfully onto the deck.

"This," he panted, "This is—"

"For _our_ father!" I-pin finished, running up to where Hibari was still in a half-crouch, stepping on and jumping off her brother's back, landing with a sickening _crunch_ on Daemon's chest. Daemon spewed blood, eyes glowing with rage.

"I'll kill you!" he bellowed, sweeping I-pin off him. The young woman landed some ways away, sliding back onto her feet.

"Brother!" she exclaimed when Daemon leapt for Hibari. The Pirate Lord ducked and weaved, blocking and striking with his tonfa as quickly as he could. Daemon knocked him into the base of the mast, and turned his blade on the raven, but the next thing anyone knew, Daemon almost dropped his sword with a shout of pain at the dagger that had been thrown into his wrist. Elena stood at the end of the ship, eyes on fire as she glared at the spirit.

"Elena…" Daemon snarled, but for the fourth time, he was prevented from reaching his target. Dino Cavallone had obtained a sword and was now violently sparring with Daemon, pushing the spirit away from the woman at the far end of the ship. Hibari and I-pin leapt back into the fray as well, but Daemon matched them, three to one. The only small victory the three of them had was the fact that Daemon was so busy fighting he couldn't evaporate into mist fast enough and he couldn't search for the chest at the same time.

But things were not going well. Dino, I-pin and Hibari were tired from fighting already, but Daemon was just getting started. He lashed out at the taller raven, and Hibari was forced to jump backwards, barely avoiding a fatal cut to his neck. I-pin fell several times, slipping on the wet deck and nursing a bloody nose. Dino's hands and arms had dozens of cuts, but he bravely fought on until Daemon managed to strike him across the face and send the blonde flying against the rail. The others watched fearfully, unable to shoot from the distance in fear of hitting one of their friends. Daemon turned with a bellow of rage, but in that moment, Yamamoto's voice came from the front of the ship, strained, yet steady.

"Don't move, Daemon."

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

Daemon turned slowly, looking to his left to see the chest lying open on its side, and the dark-haired pirate hold the pulsating heart in his hand, a black dagger poised over it.

"What now, Yamamoto?" Daemon asked his voice unreadable. "Are you going to stab it? Are you willing to sail the seas for eternity?"

Hibari jerked his head in Yamamoto's direction, eyes wide. Yamamoto pressed his lips together, glaring at Daemon. "What the hell are you saying?" he shouted back. Daemon chuckled humorlessly, eyes alive with malice.

"Haven't you heard of my song? _Where he wills his heart is kept, take his heart, and yours must be left…until the next Ferryman sails the seas again_. Are you truly willing to set foot on land once in ten years forever?"

Yamamoto's own heart pounded in his ribcage. The heart in his hand beat feverishly against his palm. Hibari's eyes sought his, confusion evident in the dark onyx orbs.

Was he willing to give up his Kyoya for the sea?

Daemon suddenly laughed out loud. "Too slow!" he roared, and before Yamamoto could stop him, Daemon turned and drove his blade right into Dino's chest.

Dino gasped, body spasming in pain as Daemon twisted the sword, leaving the blade protruding out of the blonde's ribcage.

"NO!" I-pin shrieked, blood draining from her face as Dino slumped, spitting blood out.

Yamamoto stood frozen, his heart suddenly stock still in his chest. Dino. Daemon had stabbed Dino. _Dino was going to die_.

What the hell was he going to do now?

There was a yell of fury as Daemon was abruptly tacked onto his side, landing on the deck as the figure of Elena pinned him to the ground, her face livid.

"You're gone too far, Daemon! This is unforgivable!" she yelled, and above them, the clouds suddenly gathered, blocking out the sun as thunder rumbled liked timpani drums on a roll. Daemon struggled as the wind picked up around them, holding both Elena and the spirit on the floor. Daemon snarled and his hands searched on the deck rapidly before locating a Dino's discarded sword. He grabbed it, pierced it upwards and Elena's eyes widened, gasping as the blade impaled her heart.

"D—Daemon…"

The sea spirit's eyes widened momentarily, reason coming back into his eyes as he looked up at the face of the sea goddess he'd stabbed. Elena gasped, grabbing the front of his shirt, slumping.

"My fault…you fell from grace…" she choked. "I'm sorry…I didn't meet you…that day…after ten years…"

Daemon's eyes flooded with emotion at Elena's words, and he opened his mouth to speak just as Yamamoto dashed past him, a pained expression on his face, to where Dino was on the verge of death. I-pin had crawled over to the blonde's side, unable to keep her tears back.

"Dino, look at me, you're okay, Dino, please, not you too!"

Her fiancé reached for her hand, trying to calm her even through his pain. Yamamoto collapsed to his knees at Dino's side, breathing heavily and looking the dying man right in the eye. In his hand, he held Daemon's beating heart.

"Dino, will you—can you—"

Dino grabbed for Yamamoto's hand, the one holding the dagger. "Do it," he gasped. "Right now, before it's too late…"

I-pin sobbed, pressing her hand to her mouth as Yamamoto wrapped the dagger in the blonde's shaking hand. Dino's face was pale and his focus was slipping from him as Yamamoto placed the heart onto the deck, barely able to aim for the beating organ.

Suddenly, a pale hand covered the trembling one.

It was Hibari. The raven's eyes met the blonde's, and it was in that moment, a look of approval could be seen in the dark onyx eyes.

"If you love my sister," Hibari whispered, "sail in eternity for her."

Dino closed his eyes. He nodded, and as Hibari released his hand, the dying heir brought the dagger down and stabbed Daemon's heart in a swift, clean blow.

Away from them, Daemon grew rigid, eyes widening as he grabbed at his chest, pain shooting through his entire body. The spirit turned his head to see Yamamoto, Hibari, and I-pin kneeling around the now faintly beating heart. Daemon heaved one last breath, and he looked up into the face of the woman above him. As the woman slowly passed away, the stormy sky had cleared up, and the midmorning sun was starting to shine upon them.

"Elena…"

And as the sealed sea goddess and the fallen Ferryman gradually turned into droplets of mist, scattering as they departed from the world of the living, Dino Cavallone slowly closed his eyes and died quietly in the arms of his wife.

* * *

><p>Aboard the <em>Spade<em>, Gamma stumbled as the ship rocked violently. "What the—" he muttered. The crew of the ship had all frozen, and they were all facing the half-sunken _Black Sun_, chanting in unison.

"_Part of the crew, part of the ship…part of the crew, part of the ship…part of the crew, part of the ship…!_"

"Damn it, what the hell's going on!" Gamma roared, abandoning the wheel and shoving past the spellbound fish men of the _Spade_. He dashed into the captain's quarters, and stopped dead in the tracks when he saw the bodies of the two sailors in charge of the chest on the floor, and the object meant to be guarded inexplicably missing.

Gamma trembled in rage as the entire vessel he was on shuddered by the power of Fates shifting through a point in history. The 'spy' he thought was one of his own was nowhere to be seen. Running back out onto the deck and jumping into a rowboat to sail away from the now useless _Spade_, which was sinking back into the waves, Gamma roared in fury. He had been bested once again.

_You shall lose what you once held dear  
>Betray what matters and fail to bring a loved one near<br>You shall fight alongside your foes  
>And sail the seas for eternity, naught as traitor but as hero<em>

Dino Cavallone's prophecy was finally fulfilled.

* * *

><p>"Man the starboard," Yamamoto yelled. "We're not finished yet!"<p>

The crew dragged their grief-stricken bodies upright, determined to make one last stand. The navy still had one ship floating: The _Millifore_, Gamma's vessel. The other Pirate Lords had completely disposed of the other two crafts, and it was up to the Leader's ship to take down their only foe left.

However, the _Black Sun_ was a rather sorry sight. Half the deck had been completely blown away and the mast was tilting weakly. The sails were torn and the rails had been shattered by cannonballs, bullets and the Daemon's creature.

They wouldn't survive a battle against the Navy.

I-pin was crying quietly, leaning against her brother as the two of the stood where Dino's body once was. The moment he died, the blonde's body had vanished as well, along with Daemon's heart and the chest.

Hibari knew how hard this was on his sister. Too many people precious to them had been taken away.

But the last fight was coming along the way.

Yamamoto climbed to the platform, taking the wheel in his hands and steered towards the _Millifore_. He could almost see Gamma standing by the wheel of his ship, waiting to kill them. His knuckles tightened on the wood.

"Yamamoto…we won't win this," Giotto said quietly. "What are we going to do?"

"We wait," Yamamoto replied.

"For what?" Gokudera asked wearily. Both he and Ryohei had come up from the hull when the half of the ship had been blown away, and were now manning the canons they had moved on deck.

"Not for _what_," Yamamoto answered, eyes sweeping over the open water. "For _who_."

The _Millifore_ was sailing closer now, almost upon them. Lambo whimpered but stayed where he was, as still as any of his crewmates. Despite their rough start, it was evident in the end; they trusted Yamamoto. He was a captain worth his crew.

* * *

><p>"What are they doing?"<p>

Gamma turned to face one of the sailors who'd spoken, standing behind him. He chuckled darkly.

"Suicide, perhaps. They want to fight their way out," Gamma said in amusement. The sailor blinked, and then laughed as well.

"That's foolish, Commodore. We'll slaughter them."

"Indeed," Gamma smirked. "It's up to the Navy to clear up any scum that floats in these seas."

Suddenly, there was a rumble beneath the waves, and the water began to froth wildly. All eyes turned to the dark shape that was rising from the depths of the see, right inbetween the _Millifore_ and the _Sun_. With an almighty splash, the _Spade_ burst forth from the waters, as enormous and terrifying as they had all remembered it.

"Ah," Gamma smirked, a cold smile on his face. "She survived."

* * *

><p>"Damnation!"<p>

Everyone aboard the _Sun_ cried out in dismay as the _Spade_ surfaced once again. The sight of their unbeatable enemy had destroyed the last shred of hope they had of winning. I-pin choked and buried her face in Hibari's chest. Tsuna clung to Giotto, looking stricken but calm. The taller blonde sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It's over."

The rest of the crew, Gokudera, Ryohei, Lambo and Mukuro were standing together, Ryohei supporting an injured Mukuro and Lambo sniffling slightly with Gokudera's arm slung around his shoulders. It was strange how the end was nearing, yet none of them could find anything particularly meaningful to reminisce about.

Somehow…crossing over to the other side with their friends seemed like an alright way to go.

To everybody's surprise, Yamamoto chuckled tiredly. "Took him long enough, that clumsy fool," the Pirate Lord said. "He almost had _me_ worried."

"What are you talking about…?" Hibari started, but his voice died in his throat when the _Spade_ turned so that it was sailing into the _Millifore_, the same direction as the _Sun_. There was something different about the ship. It was no longer decked in slimy, underwater plants, and the wood was not rotten or infested with waterlife. Instead, the wood was gleaming, a sheen of saltwater sparkling its sides. The canons blazed in the high sunlight, and all aboard, the crew members were no longer fish men. They were real, living souls, in flesh, and they were staring down at their bodies as though they couldn't remember what it was like to have a human form. And at the wheel was…

"Dino!" I-pin gasped, rushing to the ruined rails.

Dino Cavallone was the captain of the _Spade_, a look of undeterred determination on his face. A cheer rose up from the _Black Sun_, and with renewed hope and strength, the crew members gathered the last of their energy to battle the last ship sailing.

Gamma watched the two ships sail forward, hands clenching tightly onto the polished surface of his prized ship. He couldn't believe his eyes. The captain of the _Spade_ was none other than Cavallone, the one who'd betrayed him.

_No,_ the nagging voice in the back of his head said treacherously. _He was never yours from the start_.

"Damn it," Gamma choked, unable to bring himself to understand why.

"Sir! Orders, sir!"

His sailors were calling for him, but Gamma couldn't respond. The two enemy ships were almost right next to the _Millifore_ now, canons exposed and pointed to the sides of his prized cruiser.

"_Sir! Orders!"_

"It's…just…good business…" Gamma whispered, staring straight ahead. He looked to his right and saw Cavallone's blue eyes boring into his and to his left were Yamamoto's dark brown eyes burning him alive with his glare.

Damn it all.

"Fire!" Hibari shouted.

"_Fire!_" Dino yelled back.

"_FIRE ALL!_" Yamamoto bellowed, and the pirates were upon them.

The _Milliore_ crumbled like a paper boat being hit with stones, its sides splintering and its sails tearing as cannonballs blew through its hull, its deck, and mast. Wood pieces sailed over his head and fell with splashes that echoed in his mind. The cries of the sailors abandoning ship were barely noticeable compared to the roar of the shells exploding through his vessel. This battle was over.

"Yamamoto Takeshi…" Commodore Gamma said softly, eyes searching for his longtime foe.

_I just can't win against you, can I?_

The victorious shouts of the pirates sounded through the air as the last of the _Millifore_ vanished into the depths of Waterless Cove.

They had won.

The seas were theirs.

This war was over.

* * *

><p>It was evening by now, the sun starting to set in the distance. It cast a warm, cozy glow over the quiet beach. Waters lapped up against the rocks, birds chirped in the background, and the sand was soft beneath one's feet. On the sandy shore, Dino and I-pin sat together, watching the sunset. Further away into the sea, the <em>Black Sun<em> and the _Spade_ were anchored, waiting for their captains to come back aboard.

"You better not neglect your job," I-pin said severely. "If I find out that you've been slacking off, I'll kick you!"

"I won't do that!" Dino protested weakly, holding up his hands. "I won't. I promise. Besides, I don't want to end up like Daemon."

I-pin sighed, tucking her knees in. "I sort of feel sorry for them," she said quietly, "Daemon and Elena. It was all a misunderstanding, because Elena was bound in human form and couldn't find Daemon after ten years, and Daemon was so broken hearted he abandoned his post. Then, they had to die so tragically…"

"At least they died together, finally learning that they hadn't meant to hurt the other," Dino pointed out gently. "That's not so bad, is it?"

"I guess not," I-pin agreed, a small smile on her face. "It seems okay."

Dino paused, tapping his foot in the sand. "I-pin…"

"Hm?" the young woman looked his way, her large, dark eyes aglow with warmth and happiness that melted Dino's heart every time he looked her way. Reaching behind him, the blonde picked up the chest and placed it between them. I-pin's breath hitched.

"That's…"

"My heart." Dino said softly. "Keep it with you. It's yours, forever and always."

I-pin swallowed hard, blinking tears out of her eyes. She nodded mutely, placing one hand over the chest and the other on the jagged scar on Dino's torso, which was barely visible through the opened collar of his shirt. Without saying a word, Dino leaned in to kiss his wife, and I-pin threw her arms around him, hugging Dino close, savoring that warm, happy moment before he had to leave.

But Dino was coming back. Whether it was ten years, twenty, or hundred, she knew he'd return.

And Dino knew that she would wait.

* * *

><p>"What do you think?"<p>

Hibari stared at Yamamoto, a vein twitching in his temple. "Are you serious?" he hissed, barely able to speak. Yamamoto grinned at him, nodding.

"Aye, mate, I'm dead serious. Think about it. We could sail to the seven corners of the sea, visit every place known to man and _especially_ those no one has ever set foot in, and—"

"Why in the world would I ever want to go anywhere with you?" Hibari snarled, punching Yamamoto hard in the stomach, making the dark-haired man double over.

"Maa, maa, that hurts, damn it!"

"I don't care," Hibari sneered, kicking the sand. "Damn it, when is that herbivore finished talking with my sister? If this goes on any longer I'll—"

"You're so tactless, Kyoya," Yamamoto pouted, stretching his arms out so he could hug Hibari around the middle and pull the raven back. "Let them be, it'll be ten years before your sister can see her husband again."

"Hmph," Hibari grumbled, leaning against Yamamoto's chest. "If he makes her cry _again_, I swear I'll—"

"_When will you stop being so violent?_" Yamamoto demanded, grabbing Hibari's face between his calloused hands and turning the raven to face him, squishing Hibari's cheeks together. The raven flared up at once, yanking Yamamoto's hands off his face.

"I've decided," Hibari snapped, "that if you don't propose to me properly, _I'll never marry you!_"

Yamamoto's jaw dropped in horror. "Kyoya—!"

Hibari smirked, turning on his heel as he walked back down the length of the beach. Yamamoto just shook his head, hurrying after the raven so he could grab Hibari's hand and drag the shorter of the two into the water, making Hibari yell as he tripped and fell over Yamamoto into the sea.

Glancing back, Yamamoto could see the smooth, rounded stone Hibari had placed amidst a small patch of tall reeds growing in the sand, an unnamed marker for his father. It was hard to believe how easily one could depart from this world. Reaching over to pull Hibari back under the shallow waters of the beach, Yamamoto kissed his lover, feeling the sea running through his hair and in between his fingers, tasting the salt and Hibari's tongue against his, and it was in that moment, during their underwater kiss, he swore to never let his Kyoya go.

Judging by the way Hibari reached for him, he wasn't about to either.

* * *

><p>This was fueled by two tubs of mango mochi and one odd green tea mochi. SO GOOOOOD. I finished this ridiculous, 8k word chapter in three hours. Excluding my meal time, otherwise it would be four hours.<p>

Did you enjoy this chapter? I personally felt a bit sad a certain scenes, but that may be because I just made everything too cheesy and felt like shooting myself. Ah…but the sad parts are mostly over. The next chapter will be the last one. I lied when I said there'd be about three more. There's only two. I'm sorry! –bows-

Thank you so very much for reading, especially those who've stuck with this irregularly updated story for so long. Thank you for the comments as well! I loved the feedback and suggestions :'D You guys are wonderful :3

-BlackStar


	15. Chapter 15

Thieves and Beggars

I regret to say that this is the end. It's time. I bid you all a very fond farewell.

/shot/ who knows that reference? I think I'm off by a few lines but meh. Close enough~

But I do regret to say that this _is_ the final chapter of _Thieves and Beggars_. It's been about three months since I started this series…if I recall, I wrote the first chapter in November :'D Wow, it's been so long already! Hnn. I suppose we'd better get started.

I also highly suggest having the _Hoist the Colours_ song playing in the background when you're reading the beginning. It'll scare the living daylights out of you. That's a seriously chilling song. Another reason is because, well, the title of this fic is pretty much named after a line in the song. And as Yama has mentioned before, pirates aren't always thieves and beggars. Or at least, in this fic they aren't. I'm aware of the global issues surrounding modern day pirates, and it's not really pleasant. But still…ah, Pirates of the Caribbean. How I adore those movies…

Also: thanks for editing, Katie. And giving me deadlines. And bugging me until I finish. And threatening to—I mean. Ahem.

But seriously. Thanks, hubu.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Any similarities in events or characters living or dead are entirely coincidental.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifteen<p>

Ten Years Later

"_The king and his men…stole the queen from her bed…and bound her in her Bones. The seas be ours…and by the powers…where we will we'll roam. Yo, ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars, never_—"

"Trin!"

The little girl sitting at the docks jumped as a boy's voice called out her name. She spun around, pouting when she saw the other standing next to her, with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

"What, Iv? I'm just singing!"

"Mama said not to sing that song out here," her brother hissed. "It's bad!"

The girl huffed cutely, staring out at the sea. "I know," she said softly. "But I just wanted Daddy to hear me sing. Mama said that Daddy can hear us."

The little boy turned to look into the distance too. "You think so?" he asked his sister, after a doubtful pause. The girl giggled, getting to her feet.

"I _know_ so," she replied mischievously. "Race you back home!"

"Hey! Not fair!"

The boy scrambled after the girl, racing up from the sandy steps of the port and back up to the town square of Namimori Cove. If one were to look closely, they would see that the children, one boy and one girl, were both about ten years old, with identical pointed chins and tanned brown hair. There was a mysterious air about the two, and they almost looked as though they were of mixed decent. The only difference between the two kids was that the little girl had baby blue eyes, while the boy had dark onyx orbs.

The two of them had darted into the streets when they ran into a huge crowd at the town square that made them freeze in their tracks.

"What's going on here?" Iv whispered, his eyes widening in awe.

"It's a hanging," Trin replied slowly. "They're hanging pirates."

The two kids stood by, listening to the crowd talk amongst themselves, hearing the Navy's monotone sailor read out the charges and sounds of the convicted fall through the opening of the trapdoors.

"That's horrible," Iv mumbled, going pale.

"Let's get closer," Trin said, tugging her brother forwards. "Eh?" the boy stuttered. "But, but—"

However, the children had barely walked two steps when a woman cleared her throat next to them.

"And where do you think you're going, Trinity? Ivan?"

Trinity and Ivan both turned slowly, weak smiles plastered on their faces as they turned to face their mother, who was wearing her favourite red shirt and a pair of comfortable martial arts pants that made other women in lacy summer dresses stare and whisper as they walked past.

"Nowhere, Mama," Trinity replied sweetly.

I-pin rolled her eyes and said, "Of course you were going nowhere. What about you, Ivan? Where are you going?"

Ivan bit his lip, looking up with pleading eyes. "Trin wanted to see the gallows, Mama—"

"_Iv!_" Trinity hissed, poking her brother sharply in the ribs. Ivan yelped, jumping a foot into the air. I-pin watched in amusement, shaking her head a little.

"Don't let your sister bully you like that, Ivan," she said firmly, taking the little boy's hand and his sister's in the other. "Honestly, you two are twins, yet you're from completely different worlds!"

Ivan mumbled something and Trinity laughed before turning to her mother, "Mama, where are we going?"

I-pin raised an eyebrow. "You said you wanted to see, right? I'll walk with you."

Trinity looked shocked. "I didn't mean…I didn't actually want to see it," she whispered. "I just wanted to scare Ivan a little."

I-pin raised an eyebrow, careful to hide her knowing look. "Listen, Trinity, Ivan," she said quietly, getting down on one knee in front of her children. "Executions like these aren't something to be made fun of. Those people up there are _people_. No matter what the Navy says, they're not scum, trash, or filth. They're humans, just like you and me."

"Mama," Ivan asked, "Does that mean I'm a pirate too?"

"Only if you want to be," I-pin smiled.

"But if Daddy and Mama are pirates, doesn't that mean that Iv 'n I are pirates too?"

"Trinity Elena Cavallone. Nobody in this world can tell you what to be except yourself," I-pin said in a serious voice. "Do you understand?"

"Aye, Mama!" Trinity beamed, saluting. I-pin smiled and stood up. "That's my girl," she said lightly, taking their hands. "Come, let's go down to the market and buy some pasta, shall we?"

"Why pasta?" Ivan asked. Trinity made a face at him.

"Don't be dumb, Iv! Daddy's coming home tonight! Daddy loves pasta!"

"Yes," I-pin said, smiling fondly. "Daddy's coming home tonight."

Ivan flushed hiding his face into his mother's side. For a ten year old, he was incredibly shy. "At least Mama didn't have to use my full name!" he yelled at his sister. Trinity turned red at that, and for the rest of the way down to the market, the entire street heard the young girl's voice yelling, "_Ivan Fon Cavallone is bildge rat!_"

Shopping was faster than I-pin had expected it to be, save for the part where Trinity tripped over virtually nothing and knocked Ivan into a barrel of pickled herrings. Honestly, she couldn't believe her daughter had inherited her husband's clumsiness.

They were walking home and were passing the gallows when she saw something that made her stop dead in her tracks.

It was a boy. A young boy of about Ivan's age was standing among the persecuted, trembling slightly, but made no sound. If anything else, the boy with the dark brown dreadlocks and a matted, dirt covered shirt held his chin up proudly, blazing green eyes staring out into the sea beyond the port.

"Mama, that's a boy," Trinity whispered, looking stunned. Ivan whimpered and shrank back.

"I know," I-pin growled, clenching her fists. How she ached to walk up to the executioner and snap his neck…or even better, unleashing the _Bakuren Shippuuken _on the entire Navy squad and level the place, but it would be too much. And she would most definitely give herself away…

"Damn it," she whispered as the masked man walked to the end of the platform, where the lever was. _This wasn't right_.

"Stop him," Trinity sobbed, wiping her eyes furiously. "Mama, stop that bad man!"

I-pin's heart pounded in her ribcage. The fact that the boy up there was just about her own son's age made her want to run up at once, but—

The lever was pulled.

Trinity screamed.

And in that moment, the entire platform made an odd creaking noise, and collapsed onto the ground in a heap. The prisoners yelped in shock as they landed on their feet, desperately untangling themselves from the ropes. The young boy scrambled to upright, looking around in confusion. I-pin gaped at the mess before her. What on earth…?

"Maa, maa, look at the mess you just made."

"Che. Don't be stupid, herbivore, you're the one who ran up the minute we docked without even waiting for me!"

I-pin eyes widened. Was that really who she thought it was…?

Little Ivan's shout of joy quickly confirmed her thoughts.

"Uncle Kyoya! Uncle Takeshi!"

Walking up through the terrified crowd was none other than the two most infamous Pirate Lords known to mankind, casually strolling into the Navy's prime territory without a care in the world. Well, actually, it was Yamamoto who was doing more of the strolling while Hibari stormed furiously up the pavement, radiating enough bloodlust to promise a good bloodbath.

"Ahoy there, Ivan," Yamamoto grinned, ruffling the boy's hair with a good-natured smile on his face. "Didn't expect to see you here!"

"Uncle Takeshi!" Ivan said in delight. "Are you here to save these people?"

"Aye," Yamamoto smiled, tapping his sword. "That seems like a good idea."

"When did you arrive?" I-pin asked her brother, unable to keep the amused smile off her face.

"A minute ago," Hibari grumbled, reaching down to pick Trinity up. His niece clung to his neck, beaming. "I wanted to see my carnivores first but this idiot just had to go see what was going on up here."

"Uncle Kyoya! We have to see if that boy's alright!" Trinity cried, pointing. Hibari raised an eyebrow, but walked forwards to the boy standing amidst the shattered remains of the gallows. I-pin shook her head at her brother's odd choice of description for her kids (_carnivores, seriously?_) while snickering at the sight of the Navy officials frozen in their spots while they watched the most bloodthirsty Pirate Lord carry his ten year old niece over to see if the convicted boy was fine.

"You okay?" Trinity asked, extending a hand to the boy when Hibari put her down. The boy looked up, a bit shy, but determined to keep his pride at the same time.

"Aye, miss."

"What's your name?" Trinity asked, shaking the boy's dirty hand firmly. The boy seemed thrown off a little by the girl's fearless attitude.

"Jack. Just Jack."

"Nice to meet ya, Jack," Trinity grinned. "You a pirate?"

"Aye," Jack said, tossing a gold coin into the air. "That I am, miss."

"Good manners," Hibari grunted, shoving Jack and Trinity back over in the direction of I-pin. "Go away now. Yamamoto and I have business to take care of."

"Bye, Uncle!" Trinity waved, running back to her mother.

I-pin gathered her children together and called after them, "Don't be too long! And don't make a mess! Next time, try to stay out of trouble long enough to drop by for dinner, won't you?"

"Next time, then, I-pin," Yamamoto said apologetically.

I-pin laughed, waved, and was on her way back down towards the villas when her brother's voice stopped her in her tracks.

"It's supposed to be a surprise, I-pin…but he decided to visit early. He's at the docks already."

The young woman looked up, hardly believing her ears. Hibari hid a small smile, knowing the exact expression on his sister's face when she was silent like that.

"You should go see him."

Pressing a hand to her mouth, I-pin started running down the pathway towards the harbor, her kids running after her, giggling and shouting with their new friend Jack in tow.

"Where are we going, Mama?"

I-pin wiped away her tears, a huge smile on her face. "To see your father, kids. Daddy's home now!"

* * *

><p>"How sweet of you to ruin Dino's surprise," Yamamoto said cheerfully, unsheathing his sword.<p>

"Tch. Shut up or die," Hibari snapped, pulling out his tonfas from the folds of his jacket. Ten years had added longer hair and a strong jaw to the raven's face and a scar to Yamamoto's chin, but neither of them had lost their wits or skill in their trade. If anything else, age might have turned them into even more deadly pirates of the Seven Seas.

"They're such herbivores," Hibari complained. "Just let me bite them all to death already."

"It's rude to mock someone when they can hear you, Kyoya," Yamamoto smirked, clearly not caring about the other's lack of manners. Casually, he strolled up to where the Navy was, and the guards instantly turned their bayonets at him.

"Stop, pirate, or we'll shoot you where you stand!"

"Tell me," Yamamoto called out, but he wasn't addressing the sailors. Instead, his eyes looked over and he spoke to the prisoners standing by the walls, waiting in line to be executed.

"Who does the seas belong to?"

There was silence. The prisoners stared at each other, blinking. They all knew the answer, yet they were hesitant to answer.

"Don't be like that, mates," Yamamoto grinned. Suddenly, Hibari appeared at the dark-haired pirate's side and sung quietly, his voice reverberating around the silent courtyard,

"_The seas be ours…and by the powers…where we will we'll roam._"

"_Yo, ho…_"Yamamoto continued.

"_Haul together,_" Hibari sung.

"_Hoist the colors high,_" the prisoners chimed in slowly, voices overlapping and singing in unison the words that had they had known since their childhood.

"_Heave ho, thieves and beggars,_"

Yamamoto raised his sword. The singing grew louder.

"Damn it! Attack!" one of the sailors screeched, firing off his pistol, and everything turned into chaos. Yamamoto and Hibari sprinted off to the sides, hacking shackles loose from all those who had been arrested by the navy. Freedom was theirs. The prisoners cheered and rebelled instantly, grabbing anything near them to fight with as weapons. The Navy was helpless and stunned at the sudden uprising of the inmates they had complete control over moments ago. Fortunately for them, the prisoners weren't interested in a massacre. Instead, every man, woman, and child whose wind had been taken out of their sails for too long were running down to the port, heading for the sea.

Heading for home.

Watching the dramatic scene unfold atop a nearby cliff were three women, all with amused looks on their faces. There was an elderly woman in her late fifties, skin soft with wrinkles that made her face sparkle when she smiled, a woman just above forty with long black hair that was just starting to show grey and a teenage girl of about nineteen, face full of youth and freedom. When they spoke, their voices were soft and as distant as wind chimes clinking together on the lightest breath of wind.

_The last of the seven shall reunite  
>Under the oath cast in stone to gather and fight<br>Beyond the green hazed horizon the fate-bound two shall depart  
>Deliver their Seas to the future, and into the next world new life shall start. <em>

The two elder women turned away at the last line, walking back down the little paved path amongst the tall grass, disappearing silently into the shadows of the trees. Only the teen remained, smiling to herself as she gazed fondly down at the sight in the harbor of Namimori Cove.

"Until next time, Uncle Yamamoto," she said softly before scattering into dozens of dandelion puffs, drifting away in the wind…disappearing until the next prophecy was to be said.

* * *

><p>"I told you this would be a mighty good idea!" Yamamoto grinned, sprinting along with the crowd.<p>

"Pull another herbivore move like this again and I'll kill you," Hibari threatened, making Yamamoto burst into laughter and grab Hibari's hand so that a simple silver band on both their ring fingers flashed brilliantly in the sunlight.

"Aye, Kyoya. As you wish."

The _Black Sun_ was waiting dutifully for them in the waters, her black sails billowing out proudly in the full wind. A little further away, the could see the outline of the _Spade_ anchored in the light waters as her captain came to visit home after ten long years.

"Hoist the colours!" Yamamoto shouted out to the crew on the deck of his ship.

"Aye, Cap'n!"

"Hurry up, the Navy's gaining on us," Hibari grumbled as they ran down the length of the docks, hearing the sailors dashing after them.

Hand in hand, the two of them sprinted straight to the end of the port.

_Heave, ho_.

"Jump, Kyoya!" Yamamoto grinned, leaping off the wooden surface, right into the sparkling sea.

_Thieves and Beggars._

"IDIOT TAKESHI!"

_Never shall we die_.

* * *

><p><em>End<em>

* * *

><p>I'm done. We're done. This story is done.<p>

Is anybody feeling as sad as I am? D; Maaaaan, this ending. DINO'S KIDS. YAMAMOTO AND HIBARI FINALLY GETTING MARRIED. THE NEW PROPHECY. I'm just setting myself up, aren't I? Ha, ha. I didn't get a chance to write about the rest of the character's endings in the final chapter, because let's face it, if I did that, that would be another 5k words or something. And a short, simple ending is always good. But for those who like to know the small facts as much as I do, here it is:

-The original crew of the _Black Sun_, Gokudera, Ryohei, Mukuro and Lambo remained to sail with Yamamoto and Hibari. Giotto and Tsuna, however, decided to leave behind the world of pirates and are currently enjoying some quality time on dry land.

-Reborn and Yamamoto are now on _slightly_ better terms with each other, but they still despise each other's guts. And their crew members won't stop competing against each other. During most of the past ten years, Reborn had remained in his territory, the North Sea.

-The other Pirate Lords lost touch with each other after the war like they always do, but are alive and well.

-Nobody told Dino, but Xanxus has seen Trinity and Ivan. Yamamoto and Hibari had brought the twins to see their 'grandfather' when they were only babies. Contrary to popular belief, Xanxus _did_ know how to handle kids (obviously, since he raised Yamamoto by himself), but for the sake of Dino's sanity, everyone decided to spare him from the knowledge that Squalo spent a good hour or so tossing a delighted Ivan into the air while Xanxus allowed Trinity to nap in his arms.

I guess that's all, right? Did I forget anybody? Welp, welp. I hope not. So. This concludes my longest story thus far. Thank so very much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this as much as I liked writing it, and your comments, feedback and encouragement were a wonderful source of plot booster. Thank you for your time! Until the next story, everybody~

-BlackStar


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